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By  Nathan  Haskell  Dole 


klEMKY  MOR&t. 


o  t  t-i'^i&f** 


THE  ROMANCE  OF 
NAUSICAA 


\  I  -.    f   %?  %r  yj 


INTRODUCTION 

No  other  poem  in  all  the  literature  of 
the  world  excels  or  equals  the  Odyssey  in 
variety  of  interest.  Its  hero  is  the  type 
of  the  gallant  adventurer,  and  his  jour- 
neyings  take  him  into  the  Fairylands 
that  delight  children  of  a  larger  growth. 
Odysseus  was  the  King  of  Ithaca,  and 
Ithaca  was  a  tiny  island  west  of  Greece. 
He  was  the  most  distant  of  the  feudal 
princes  that  fought  with  Agamemnon 
for  the  purpose  of  winning  back  from 
Paris  of  Troy,  Helen,  the  runaway 
wife  of  Agamemnon's  brother  Mene- 
laus.  After  the  ten  years'  war,  which 
is  described  in  the  Iliad,  Odysseus  sets 
sail  for  his  rugged  kingdom.  Just  as  he 
is  about  doubling  Cape  Malena,  from 
which  a  short  run  would  have  brought  him 


home  to  Penelope  and  his  ten-year-old 
son  Telemachus,  a  violent  storm  drives 
him  far  away  to  the  land  of  the  Lotus- 
eaters.  Escaping  from  the  perils  of 
sweet  forgetfulness,  he  and  his  ships 
reach  the  abode  of  the  Cyclops,  a  race 
of  fierce  shepherd-giants.  Captured  by 
Polyphemus  and  confined  in  a  cave, 
Odysseus  blinds  the  cannibal  and  escapes 
by  "  a  punning  device."  Poseidon,  the  god 
of  the  sea,  avenges  the  injury  done  to  his 
son's  single  eye  :  Odysseus  has  in  conse- 
quence long  years  of  exile  before  him. 

He  goes  to  the  land  of  ^olus,  who 
gives  him  a  bag  filled  with  all  the  winds 
save  that  one  that  would  speed  him  to 
Ithaca  in  ten  days.  But  when  they  are 
already  in  sight  of  home,  the  inquisitive 
sailors  open  the  fatal  bag,  and  back  they 
are  blown  to  the  kingdom  of  the  winds. 
In  Lamos  they  again  fall  into  the  hands 
of  cannibals,  and  only  Odysseus  with  one 
ship  escapes  to  the  island  of  Circe,  where 
the  beautiful  enchantress  transforms  the 
crew  into  swine.  Hermes  comes  to 
their  aid.  They  are  redeemed  by  the 
herb  moly,  and  after  a  year  spent  in 
vi 


Circe's  company  they  take  their  leave. 
By  Circe's  advice  Odysseus  makes  a 
descent  to  Hades  in  order  to  learn  their 
home  way  from  the  ghost  of  Teiresias. 

The  Theban  prophet  commands  them 
not  to  injure  the  sacred  cattle  of  the  Sun 
which  were  pastured  in  Sicily.  If  they 
should,  Odysseus  would  arrive  in  Ithaca 
"  in  evil  plight,  with  loss  of  all  his  crew, 
on  board  a  stranger's  ship,  to  find  sorrow 
in  his  house."  On  their  way  they  man- 
age to  escape  the  Sirens,  they  sail  safely 
between  the  Clashing  Rocks  and  avoid 
the  perils  of  Scylla.  But  in  Tinacria, 
the  Island  of  the  Sun,  the  sailors  are 
impelled  by  famine  to  kill  and  eat  some 
of  the  sacred  kine.  Shipwreck  ensues, 
and  only  Odysseus  is  saved.  He  takes 
refuge  on  the  island  of  the  beautiful 
Calypso.  The  goddess  retains  him  eight 
years  as  her  lover,  but  at  last  her  immor- 
tal, changless  beauty  palls  on  him  and 
he  longs  for  change.  Under  compul- 
sion of  the  gods.  Calypso  suffers  him  to 
build  a   raft   and    depart. 

A  storm  casts  him  on  the  coast  of  the 
blameless    Phaeacians,  and    here    begins 
vii 


the  episode  which  is  perhaps  the  most 
charmingly  romantic  of  any  of  the  sto- 
ries of  antiquity.  The  awakening  of 
love  in  the  heart  of  the  lovely  maiden 
Nausicaa  is  most  delicately  depicted. 

This  splendid,  and  fascinating  passage 
here  presented,  has  been  selected  from 
the  prose  translation  of  Samuel  H. 
Butcher  and  Andrew  Lang.  Although 
the  final  adventures  of  Odysseus,  and  his 
revenge  on  the  suitors  who  had  been  for 
years  wasting  his  substance,  insult- 
ing his  son  and  persecuting  his  wife,  are 
also  extremely  interesting,  the  romance 
of  his  stay  among  the  hospitable  Phae- 
acians  is  complete  in  itself.  One  cannot 
help  wondering  if,  after  the  first  novelty 
of  being  at  home  again  had  worn  off"  and 
he  had  made  the  discovery  that  Penelope 
had  become  fonder  of  the  luxury  of 
mourning  for  him  than  glad  to  have 
her  reason  for  mourning  removed,  so 
much  had  it  become  second  nature,  it 
may  not  have  been  possible  that  Odys- 
seus may  have  yearned  for  the  fair  young 
Nausicaa  and  have  yielded  to  that  rest- 
less spirit  which  has  been  in  all  times 
viii 


characteristic  of  the  sailor.     Tennyson 
puts  into  his  mouth  these  words : 

**It  little  profits  that  an  idle  king. 

By  this  still  hearth,  among  these  barren  crags. 

Matched  with  an  aged  wife,  I  mete  and  dole 

Unequal  laws  unto  a  savage  race 

That  hoard  and  sleep  and  feed  and  know  not 

me. 
I  cannot  rest  from  travel  :  I  will  drink 
Life  to  the  lees  :  all  times  I  have  enjoyed 
Greatly,  have  suffered  greatly,  both  with  those 
That  loved   me   and    alone ;    on    shore    and 

when 
Thro'  scudding  drifts  the  rainy  Hyades 
Vext  the  dim  seas." 

So  he  leaves  his  sceptre  to  Telema- 
chus  and  calls  his  comrades : 

*•  Come,  my  friends, 
*Tis  not  too  late  to  seek  a  newer  world. 
Push  off,  and  sitting  well  in  order,  smite 
The  sounding  furrows  ;  for  my  purpose  holds 
To  sail  beyond  the  sunset  and  the  baths 
Of  all  the  western  stars  until  I  die. ' ' 

Tennyson  did  not  hint  that  this  new 
voyage  was  to  revisit  the  Phaeacians  but 
ix 


does  it  not  fill  the  imagination,  and  can 
we  not  picture  to  ourselves  the  joy  which 
Nausicaa,  grown  from  girlhood  to  fuller 
womanhood  by  the  very  sorrow  which 
had  consumed  her  heart,  would  feel  to 
see  the  mighty  hero  once  again  ? 

N.  H.  D. 


THE    ROMANCE   OF 
NAUSICAA 


I. 

THE   GODS   IN   COUNCIL 

Now  the  Dawn  arose  from  her  couch, 
from  the  side  of  the  lordly  Tithonus,  to 
bear  light  to  the  immortals  and  to  mor- 
tal men.     And  lo,  the  gods  were  gather- 


Ing  to  session,  and  among  them  Zeus, 
that  thunders  on  high,  whose  might  is 
above  all.  And  Athene  told  them  the 
tale  of  the  many  woes  of  Odysseus,  re- 
calling them  to  mind  ;  for  near  her  heart 
was  he  that  then  abode  in  the  dwelling 
of  the  nymph  : 

"  Father  Zeus,  and  all  ye  other  blessed 
gods  that  live  for  ever,  henceforth  let  not 
any  sceptred  king  be  kind  and  gentle 
with  all  his  heart,  nor  minded  to  do 
righteously,  but  let  him  alway  be  a  hard 
man  and  work  unrighteousness,  for  be- 
hold, there  is  none  that  remembereth 
divine  Odysseus  of  the  people  whose 
lord  he  was,  and  was  gentle  as  a  fa- 
ther. Howbeit,  as  for  him  he  lieth 
in  an  island  suffering  strong  pains,  in 
the  halls  of  the  nymph  Calypso,  who 
holdeth  him  perforce ;  so  he  may  not 
reach  his  own  country,  for  he  hath 
no  ships  by  him  with  oars,  and  no 
companions  to  send  him  on  his  way 
over  the  broad  back  of  the  sea.  And 
now,  again,  they  are  set  on  slaying 
his  beloved  son  on  his  homeward  way, 
for  he  is  gone  to  fair  Pylos  and  to 
2 


goodly  Lacedaemon,  to  seek  tidings  of 
his  father." 

And  Zeus,  gatherer  of  the  clouds, 
answered  and  spake  unto  her :  "  My 
child,  what  word  hath  escaped  the  door 
of  thy  lips  ?  Nay,  didst  thou  not  thy- 
self plan  this  device,  that  Odysseus  may 
assuredly  take  vengeance  on  those  men  at 
his  coming?  As  for  Telemachus,  do 
thou  guide  him  by  thine  art,  as  well 
thou  mayest,  that  so  he  may  come  to 
his  own  country  all  unharmed,  and  the 
wooers  may  return  in  their  ship  with 
their  labour  all  in  vain." 

Therewith  he  spake  to  Hermes,  his 
dear  son  :  "  Hermes,  forasmuch  as  even 
in  all  else  thou  art  our  herald,  tell  unto 
the  nymph  of  the  braided  tresses  my  un- 
erring counsel,  even  the  return  of  the 
patient  Odysseus,  how  he  is  to  come  to 
his  home,  with  no  furtherance  of  gods 
or  of  mortal  men.  Nay,  he  shall  sail  on 
a  well-bound  raft,  in  sore  distress,  and  on 
the  twentieth  day  arrive  at  fertile  Scheria, 
even  at  the  land  of  the  Phaeacians,  who 
are  near  of  kin  to  the  gods.  And  they 
shall  give  him  all  worship  heartily  as  to 

3 


a  god,  and  send  him  on  his  way  in  a 
ship  to  his  own  dear  country,  with 
gifts  of  bronze  and  gold,  and  raiment 
in  plenty,  much  store,  such  as  never 
would  Odysseus  have  won  for  himself 
out  of  Troy,  yea,  though  he  had  re- 
turned unhurt  with  the  share  of  the 
spoil  that  fell  to  him.  On  such  wise 
is  he  fated  to  see  his  friends,  and  come 
to  his  high-roofed  home  and  his  own 
country." 

So  spake  he,  nor  heedless  was  the  mes- 
senger, the  slayer  of  Argos.  Straight- 
way he  bound  beneath  his  feet  his  lovely 
golden  sandals,  that  wax  not  old,  that 
bare  him  alike  over  the  wet  sea  and  over 
the  limitless  land,  swift  as  the  breath  of 
the  wind.  And  he  took  the  wand  where- 
with he  lulls  the  eyes  of  whomso  he  will, 
while  others  again  he  even  wakes  from 
out  of  sleep.  With  this  rod  in  his  hand 
flew  the  strong  slayer  of  Argos.  Above 
Pieria  he  passed  and  leapt  from  the  upper 
air  into  the  deep.  Then  he  sped  along 
the  wave  like  the  cormorant,  that  cha- 
seth  the  fishes  through  the  perilous  gulfs 
of  the  unharvested  sea,  and  wetted  his 
4 


thick  plumage  in  the  brine.  Such  like 
did  Hermes  ride  upon  the  press  of  the 
waves. 

But  when  he  had  now  reached  that 
far-ofF  isle,  he  went  forth  from  the  sea 
of  violet  blue  to  get  him  up  into  the  land, 
till  he  came  to  a  great  cave,  wherein 
dwelt  the  nymph  of  the  braided  tresses : 
and  he  found  her  within.  And  on  the 
hearth  there  was  a  great  fire  burning, 
and  from  afar  through  the  isle  was 
smelt  the  fragrance  of  cleft  cedar  blazing, 
and  of  sandal  wood.  And  the  nymph 
within  was  singing  with  a  sweet  voice 
as  she  fared  to  and  fro  before  the  loom, 
and  wove  with  a  shuttle  of  gold.  And 
round  about  the  cave  there  was  a  wood 
blossoming,  alder  and  poplar  and  sweet- 
smelling  cypress.  And  therein  roosted 
birds  long  of  wing,  owls  and  falcons  and 
chattering  sea-crows,  which  have  their 
business  in  the  waters.  And  lo,  there 
about  the  hollow  cave  trailed  a  gadding 
garden  vine,  all  rich  with  clusters.  And 
fountains  four  set  orderly  were  running 
with  clear  water,  hard  by  one  another, 
turned  each  to  his  own  course.     And  all 

5 


around  soft  meadows  bloomed  of  violets 
and  parsley,  yea,  even  a  deathless  god 
who  came  thither  might  wonder  at  the 
sight  and  be  glad  at  heart. 


II. 


HERMES   AND   CALYPSO 


There  the  messenger,  the  slayer  of 
Argos,  stood  and  wondered.  Now  when 
he  had  gazed  at  all  with  wonder,  anon 
he  went  into  the  wide  cave ;  nor  did 
Calypso,  that  fair  goddess,  fail  to  know 
him,  when  she  saw  him  face  to  face  ; 
for  the  gods  use  not  to  be  strange  one 
to  another,   the   immortals,   not   though 

7 


one  have  his  habitation  far  away.  But 
he  found  not  Odysseus,  the  great-hearted, 
within  the  cave,  who  sat  weeping  on  the 
shore  even  as  aforetime,  straining  his  soul 
with  tears  and  groans  and  griefs,  and  as 
he  wept  he  looked  wistfully  over  the  un- 
harvested  deep.  And  Calypso,  that  fair 
goddess,  questioned  Hermes,  when  she 
had  made  him  sit  on  a  bright  shining  seat : 

"  Wherefore,  I  pray  thee,  Hermes,  of 
the  golden  wand,  hast  thou  come  hither, 
worshipful  and  welcome,  whereas  as  of 
old  thou  wert  not  wont  to  visit  me  ? 
Tell  me  all  thy  thought ;  my  heart  is 
set  on  fulfilling  it,  if  fulfil  it  I  may,  and 
if  it  hath  been  fulfilled  in  the  counsel  of 
fate.  But  now  follow  me  further,  that 
I  may  set  before  thee  the  entertainment 
of  strangers." 

Therewith  the  goddess  spread  a  table 
with  ambrosia  and  set  it  by  him,  and 
mixed  the  ruddy  nectar.  So  the  mes- 
senger, the  slayer  of  Argos,  did  eat  and 
drink.  Now  after  he  had  supped  and 
comforted  his  soul  with  food,  at  the 
last  he  answered,  and  spake  to  her  on 
this  wise : 

8 


*'  Thou  makest  question  of  me  on  my 
coming,  a  goddess  of  a  god,  and  I  will 
tell  thee  this  my  saying  truly,  at  thy 
command.  'T  was  Zeus  that  bade  me 
come  hither,  by  no  will  of  mine ;  nay, 
who  of  his  free  will  would  speed  over 
such  a  wondrous  space  of  brine,  whereby 
is  no  city  of  mortals  that  do  sacrifice  to 
the  gods,  and  offer  choice  hecatombs  ? 
But  surely  it  is  in  no  wise  possible  for 
another  god  to  go  beyond  or  to  make 
void  the  purpose  of  Zeus,  lord  of  the 
aegis.  He  saith  that  thou  hast  with 
thee  a  man  most  wretched  beyond  his 
fellows,  beyond  those  men  that  round 
the  burg  of  Priam  for  nine  years  fought, 
and  in  the  tenth  year  sacked  the  city  and 
departed  homeward.  Yet  on  the  way 
they  sinned  against  Athene,  and  she 
raised  upon  them  an  evil  blast  and  long 
waves  of  the  sea.  Then  all  the  rest  of 
his  good  company  was  lost,  but  it  came 
to  pass  that  the  wind  bare  and  the  wave 
brought  him  hither.  And  now  Zeus 
biddeth  thee  send  him  hence  with  what 
speed  thou  mayest,  for  it  is  not  ordained 
that  he  die  away  from  his  friends,  but 
9 


rather  it  is  his  fate  to  look  on  them  even 
yet,  and  to  come  to  his  high-roofed 
home  and  his  own  country." 

So  spake  he,  and  Calypso,  that  fair 
goddess,  shuddered  and  uttered  her 
voice,  and  spake  unto  him  winged  words  : 
"  Hard  are  ye  gods  and  jealous  exceed- 
ing, who  ever  grudge  goddesses  openly 
to  mate  with  men,  if  any  make  a  mortal 
her  dear  bed-fellow.  Even  so  when 
rosy-fingered  Dawn  took  Orion  for  her 
lover,  ye  gods  that  live  at  ease  were 
jealous  thereof,  till  chaste  Artemis,  of 
the  golden  throne,  slew  him  in  Ortygia 
with  the  visitation  of  her  gentle  shafts. 
So  too  when  fair-tressed  Demeter  yielded 
to  her  love,  and  lay  with  lasion  in  the 
thrice-ploughed  fallow  field,  Zeus  was 
not  long  without  tidings  thereof,  and 
cast  at  him  with  his  white  bolt  and  slew 
him.  So  again  ye  gods  now  grudge  that 
a  mortal  man  should  dwell  with  me. 
Him  I  saved  as  he  went  all  alone  be- 
striding the  keel  of  a  bark,  for  that 
Zeus  had  crushed  and  cleft  his  swift 
ship  with  a  white  bolt  in  the  midst  of 
the  wine-dark  deep.  There  all  the  rest 
lO 


of  his  good  company  was  lost,  but  it 
came  to  pass  that  the  wind  bare  and 
the  wave  brought  him  hither.  And  him 
have  I  loved  and  cherished,  and  I  said 
that  I  would  make  him  to  know  not 
death  and  age  for  ever. 

"  Yet  forasmuch  as  it  is  in  no  wise 
possible  for  another  god  to  go  beyond, 
or  make  void  the  purpose  of  Zeus,  lord 
of  the  aegis,  let  him  away  over  the 
unharvested  seas,  if  the  summons  and 
the  bidding  be  of  Zeus.  But  I  will  give 
him  no  despatch,  not  I,  for  I  have  no 
ships  by  me  with  oars,  nor  company  to 
bear  him  on  his  way  over  the  broad 
back  of  the  sea.  Yet  will  I  be  forward 
to  put  this  in  his  mind,  and  will  hide 
nought,  that  all  unharmed  he  may  come 
to  his  own  country." 

Then  the  messenger,  the  slayer  of 
Argos,  answered  her :  "  Yea,  speed  him 
now  upon  his  path  and  have  regard  unto 
the  wrath  of  Zeus,  lest  haply  he  be  an- 
gered and  bear  hard  on  thee  hereafter." 

Therewith  the  great  slayer  of  Argos 
departed,  but  the  lady  nymph  went  on 
her  way  to  the  great-hearted  Odysseus, 
II 


when  she  had  heard  the  message  of 
Zeus.  And  there  she  found  him  sitting 
on  the  shore,  and  his  eyes  were  never 
dry  of  tears,  and  his  sweet  life  was  ebb- 
ing away  as  he  mourned  for  his  return ; 
for  the  nymph  no  more  found  favour 
in  his  sight.  Howsoever  by  night  he 
would  sleep  by  her,  as  needs  he  must, 
in  the  hollow  caves,  unwilling  lover  by 
a  willing  lady.  And  in  the  day-time 
he  would  sit  on  the  rocks  and  on  the 
beach,  straining  his  soul  with  tears,  and 
groans,  and  griefs,  and  through  his  tears 
he  would  look  wistfully  over  the  un- 
harvested  deep.  So  standing  near  him 
that  fair  goddess  spake  to  him  : 

"  Hapless  man,  sorrow  no  more  I 
pray  thee  in  this  isle,  nor  let  thy  good 
life  waste  away,  for  even  now  will  I 
send  thee  hence  with  all  my  heart. 
Nay,  arise  and  cut  long  beams,  and 
fashion  a  wide  raft  with  the  axe,  and 
lay  deckings  high  thereupon,  that  it  may 
bear  thee  over  the  misty  deep.  And  I 
will  place  therein  bread  and  water,  and 
red  wine  to  thy  heart's  desire,  to  keep 
hunger  far  away.  And  I  will  put  rai- 
12 


mjent  upon  thee,  and  send  a  fair  gale  in 
thy  wake,  that  so  thou  mayest  come  all 
unharmed  to  thine  own  country,  if  in- 
deed it  be  the  good  pleasure  of  the  gods 
who  hold  wide  heaven,  who  are  stronger 
than  I  am  both  to  will  and  to  do." 

So  she  spake,  and  the  steadfast  goodly 
Odysseus  shuddered,  and  uttering  his 
voice  spake  to  her  winged  words : 
"  Herein,  goddess,  thou  hast  plainly 
some  other  thought,  and  in  no  wise  my 
furtherance,  for  that  thou  biddest  me 
to  cross  in  a  raft  the  great  gulf  of  the 
sea  so  dread  and  difficult,  which  not 
even  the  swift  gallant  ships  pass  over 
rejoicing  in  the  breeze  of  Zeus.  Nor 
would  I  go  aboard  a  raft  to  displeasure 
thee,  unless  thou  wilt  deign,  O  goddess, 
to  swear  a  great  oath  not  to  plan  any 
hidden   guile   to  mine  own  hurt." 

So  spake  he,  and  Calypso,  the  fair 
goddess,  smiled  and  caressed  him  with 
her  hand,  and  spake  and  hailed  him  : 

"  Knavish  thou  art,  and  no  weakling 

in   wit,    thou    that    hast   conceived   and 

spoken  such  a  word.     Let  earth  be  now 

witness    hereto,    and    the    wide    heaven 

13 


above,  and  that  falling  water  of  the  Styx, 
the  greatest  oath  and  the  most  terrible 
to  the  blessed  gods,  that  I  will  not  plan 
any  hidden  guile  to  thine  own  hurt. 
Nay,  but  my  thoughts  are  such,  and 
such  will  be  my  counsel,  as  I  would 
devise  for  myself,  if  ever  so  sore  a  need 
came  over  me.  For  I  too  have  a  right- 
eous mind,  and  my  heart  within  me  is 
not  of  iron,  but  pitiful  even  as  thine." 

Therewith  the  fair  goddess  led  the 
way  quickly,  and  he  followed  hard  in 
the  steps  of  the  goddess.  And  they 
reached  the  hollow  cave,  the  goddess 
and  the  man ;  so  he  sat  him  down  upon 
the  chair  whence  Hermes  had  arisen, 
and  the  nymph  placed  by  him  all  man- 
ner of  food  to  eat  and  drink,  such  as  is 
meat  for  men.  As  for  her  she  sat  over 
against  divine  Odysseus,  and  the  hand- 
maids placed  by  her  ambrosia  and  nectar. 
So  they  put  forth  their  hands  upon  the 
good  cheer  set  before  them.  But  after 
they  had  taken  their  fill  of  meat  and 
drink.  Calypso,  the  fair  goddess,  spake 
first  and   said  : 

"  Son  of  Laertes,  of  the  seed  of  Zeus, 
14 


Odysseus  of  many  devices,  so  it  is  in- 
deed thy  wish  to  get  thee  home  to  thine 
own  dear  country  even  in  this  hour  ? 
Good  fortune  go  with  thee  even  so ! 
Yet  didst  thou  know  in  thine  heart  what 
a  measure  of  suffering  thou  art  ordained 
to  fulfil,  or  ever  thou  reach  thine  own 
country,  here,  even  here,  thou  wouldst 
abide  with  me  and  keep  this  house,  and 
wouldst  never  taste  of  death,  though 
thou  longest  to  see  thy  wife,  for  whom 
thou  hast  ever  a  desire  day  by  day. 
Not  in  sooth  that  I  avow  me  to  be  less 
noble  than  she  in  form  or  fashion,  for  it 
is  in  no  wise  meet  that  mortal  women 
should  match  them  with  immortals,  in 
shape  and  comeliness." 

And  Odysseus  of  many  counsels 
answered,  and  spake  unto  her :  "  Be 
not  wroth  with  me  hereat,  goddess  and 
queen.  Myself  I  know  it  well,  how 
wise  Penelope  is  meaner  to  look  upon 
than  thou,  in  comeliness  and  stature. 
But  she  is  mortal  and  thou  knowest 
not  age  nor  death.  Yet  even  so,  I 
wish  and  long  day  by  day  to  fare  home- 
ward and  see  the  day  of  my  returning. 

15 


Yea,  and  if  some  god  shall  wreck  me  in 
the  wine-dark  deep,  even  so  I  will  en- 
dure, with  a  heart  within  me  patient  of 
affliction.  For  already  have  I  suffered 
full  much,  and  much  have  I  toiled  in 
perils  of  waves  and  war;  let  this  be 
added  to  the  tale  of  those.*' 

So  spake  he,  and  the  sun  sank  and 
darkness  came  on.  Then  they  twain 
went  into  the  chamber  of  the  hollow 
rock,  and  had  their  delight  of  love,  abid- 
ing each  by  other. 


l6 


III. 


THE  DEPARTURE  OF  ODYSSEUS 

As  soon  as  early  Dawn  shone  forth, 
the  rosy-fingered,  anon  Odysseus  put 
on  him  a  mantle  and  doublet,  and  the 
nymph  clad  her  in  a  great  shining  robe, 
light  of  woof  and  gracious,  and  about 
her  waist  she  cast  a  fair  golden  girdle, 
and  a  veil  withal  upon  her  head.  Then 
she  considered  of  the  sending  of  Odys- 
17 


seus,  the  great-hearted.  She  gave  him  a 
great  axe,  fitted  to  his  grasp,  an  axe  of 
bronze  double-edged,  and  with  a  goodly 
handle  of  olive  wood  fastened  well. 
Next  she  gave  him  a  polished  adze, 
and  she  led  the  way  to  the  border  of  the 
isle  where  tall  trees  grew,  alder  and  pop- 
lar, and  pine  that  reacheth  unto  heaven, 
seasoned  long  since  and  sere,  that 
might  lightly  float  for  him. 

Now  after  she  had  shown  him  where 
the  tall  trees  grew.  Calypso,  the  fair 
goddess,  departed  homeward.  And  he 
set  to  cutting  timber,  and  his  work  went 
busily.  Twenty  trees  in  all  he  felled, 
and  then  trimmed  them  with  the  axe  of 
bronze,  and  deftly  smoothed  them,  and 
over  them  made  straight  the  line. 
Meanwhile  Calypso,  the  fair  goddess, 
brought  him  augers,  so  he  bored  each 
piece  and  jointed  them  together,  and 
then  made  all  fast  with  trenails  and 
dowels. 

Wide  as   is  the  floor  of  a  broad  ship 

of  burden,  which  some  man  well  skilled 

in  carpentry  may  trace  him  out,  of  such 

beam   did   Odysseus    fashion    his   broad 

i8 


raft.  And  thereat  he  wrought,  and  set 
up  the  deckings,  fitting  them  to  the  close- 
set  uprights,  and  finished  them  ofF  with 
long  gunwales,  and  therein  he  set  a  mast, 
and  a  yard-arm  fitted  thereto,  and  more- 
over he  made  him  a  rudder  to  guide  the 
craft.  And  he  fenced  it  with  wattled 
osier  withies  from  stem  to  stern,  to  be 
a  bulwark  against  the  wave,  and  piled 
up  wood  to  back  them.  Meanwhile 
Calypso,  the  fair  goddess,  brought  him 
web  of  cloth  to  make  him  sails ;  and 
these  too  he  fashioned  very  skilfully. 
And  he  made  fast  therein  braces  and 
halyards  and  sheets,  and  at  last  he 
pushed  the  raft  with  levers  down  to 
the  fair  salt  sea. 

It  was  the  fourth  day  when  he  had 
accomplished  all.  And,  lo,  on  the  fifth, 
the  fair  Calypso  sent  him  on  his  way 
from  the  island,  when  she  had  bathed 
him  and  clad  him  in  fragrant  attire. 
Moreover,  the  goddess  placed  on  board 
the  ship  two  skins,  one  of  dark  wine, 
and  another,  a  great  one,  of  water,  and 
corn  too  in  a  wallet,  and  she  set  therein 
a  store  of  dainties  to  his  heart's  desire, 
19 


and  sent  forth  a  warm  and  gentle  wind 
to  blow.  And  goodly  Odysseus  rejoiced 
as  he  set  his  sails  to  the  breeze. 

So  he  sate  and  cunningly  guided  the 
craft  with  the  helm,  nor  did  sleep  fall 
upon  his  eyelids,  as  he  viewed  the  Pleiads 
and  Bootes,  that  setteth  late,  and  the 
Bear,  which  they  likewise  call  the  Wain, 
which  turneth  ever  in  one  place,  and 
keepeth  watch  upon  Orion,  and  alone 
hath  no  part  in  the  baths  of  Ocean. 
This  star.  Calypso,  the  fair  goddess, 
bade  him  to  keep  ever  on  the  left  as 
he  traversed  the  deep.  Ten  days  and 
seven  he  sailed  traversing  the  deep, 
and  on  the  eighteenth  day  appeared 
the  shadowy  hills  of  the  land  of  the 
Phaeacians,  at  the  point  where  it  lay 
nearest  to  him ;  and  it  showed  like  a 
shield  in  the  misty  deep. 

Now  the  lord,  the  shaker  of  the  earth, 
on  his  way  from  the  Ethiopians  espied 
him  afar  off  from  the  mountains  of  the 
Solymi :  even  thence  he  saw  Odysseus 
as  he  sailed  over  the  deep ;  and  he  was 
yet  more  angered  in  spirit,  and  shaking 
his  head  he  communed  with  his  own 
20 


heart.  "  Lo  now,  it  must  be  that  the 
gods  at  the  last  have  changed  their  pur- 
pose concerning  Odysseus,  while  I  was 
away  among  the  Ethiopians.  And  now 
he  is  nigh  to  the  Phaeacian  land,  where 
it  is  ordained  that  he  escape  the  great 
issues  of  the  woe  which  hath  come 
upon  him.  But  methinks  that  even  yet 
I  will  drive  him  far  enough  in  the  path 
of  suffering." 

With  that  he  gathered  the  clouds  and 
troubled  the  waters  of  the  deep,  grasp- 
ing his  trident  in  his  hands ;  and  he 
roused  all  storms  of  all  manner  of 
winds,  and  shrouded  in  clouds  the  land 
and  sea :  and  down  sped  night  from 
heaven.  The  East  Wind  and  the  South 
Wind  clashed,  and  the  stormy  West, 
and  the  North,  that  is  born  in  the 
bright  air,  rolling  onward  a  great  wave. 
Then  were  the  knees  of  Odysseus  loos- 
ened and  his  heart  melted,  and  heavily 
he  spake  to  his  own  great  spirit : 

"  Oh,  wretched  man  that  I  am  !  what 

is  to  befal  me  at  the  last  ?     I  fear  that 

indeed  the  goddess  spake  all  things  truly, 

who  said  that  I  should  fill  up  the  meas- 

21 


ure  of  sorrow  on  the  deep,  or  ever  I 
came  to  mine  own  country ;  and  lo,  all 
these  things  have  an  end.  In  such  wise 
doth  Zeus  crown  the  wide  heaven  with 
clouds,  and  hath  troubled  the  deep,  and 
the  blasts  rush  on  of  all  the  winds ;  yea, 
now  is  utter  doom  assured  me.  Thrice 
blessed  those  Danaans,  yea,  four  times 
blessed,  who  perished  on  a  time  in  wide 
Troy-land,  doing  a  pleasure  to  the  sons 
of  Atreus  !  Would  to  God  that  I  too 
had  died,  and  met  my  fate  on  that  day 
when  the  press  of  Trojans  cast  their 
bronze-shod  spears  upon  me,  fighting 
for  the  body  of  the  son  of  Peleus  !  So 
should  I  have  gotten  my  dues  of  burial, 
and  the  Achaeans  would  have  spread  my 
fame  ;  but  now  it  is  my  fate  to  be  over- 
taken by  a  pitiful  death." 

Even  as  he  spake,  the  great  wave 
smote  down  upon  him,  driving  on  in 
terrible  wise,  that  the  raft  reeled  again. 
And  far  therefrom  he  fell,  and  lost 
the  helm  from  his  hand ;  and  the  fierce 
blast  of  the  jostling  winds  came  and 
brake  his  mast  in  the  midst,  and  sail 
and  yard-arm  fell  afar  into  the  deep. 
22 


Long  time  the  water  kept  him  under, 
nor  could  he  speedily  rise  from  beneath 
the  rush  of  the  mighty  wave  :  for  the 
garments  hung  heavy  which  fair  Ca- 
lypso gave  him.  But  late  and  at  length 
he  came  up,  and  spat  forth  from  his 
mouth  the  bitter  salt  water,  which  ran 
down  in  streams  from  his  head.  Yet 
even  so  forgat  he  not  his  raft,  for  all 
his  wretched  plight,  but  made  a  spring 
after  it  in  the  waves,  and  clutched  it  to 
him,  and  sat  in  the  midst  thereof,  avoid- 
ing the  issues  of  death ;  and  the  great 
wave  swept  it  hither  and  thither  along 
the  stream.  And  as  the  North  Wind 
in  the  harvest  tide  sweeps  the  thistle- 
down along  the  plain,  and  close  the 
tufts  cling  each  to  other,  even  so  the 
winds  bare  the  raft  hither  and  thither 
along  the  main.  Now  the  South  would 
toss  it  to  the  North  to  carry,  and  now 
again  the  East  would  yield  it  to  the 
West  to  chase. 

But  the  daughter  of  Cadmus  marked 
him,  Ino  of  the  fair  ankles,  Leucothea, 
who  in  time  past  was  a  maiden  of  mor- 
tal speech,   but  now  in   the   depths  of 
23 


the  salt  sea  she  had  gotten  her  share  of 
worship  from  the  gods.  She  took  pity 
on  Odysseus  in  his  wandering  and  trav- 
ail, and  she  rose,  like  a  sea-gull  on  the 
wing,  from  the  depth  of  the  mere,  and 
sat  upon  the  well-bound  raft  and  spake 
saying  : 

"  Hapless  one,  wherefore  was  Posei- 
don, shaker  of  the  earth,  so  wondrous 
wroth  with  thee,  seeing  that  he  soweth 
for  thee  the  seeds  of  many  evils  ?  Yet 
shall  he  not  make  a  full  end  of  thee,  for 
all  his  desire.  But  do  even  as  I  tell  thee, 
and  methinks  thou  art  not  witless.  Cast 
ofF  these  garments,  and  leave  the  raft  to 
drift  before  the  winds,  but  do  thou  swim 
with  thine  hands  and  strive  to  win  a  foot- 
ing on  the  coast  of  the  Phaeacians,  where 
it  is  decreed  that  thou  escape.  Here, 
take  this  veil  imperishable  and  wind  it 
about  thy  breast ;  so  is  there  no  fear 
that  thou  suffer  aught  or  perish.  But 
when  thou  hast  laid  hold  of  the  mainland 
with  thy  hands,  loose  it  from  off  thee 
and  cast  it  into  the  wine-dark  deep  far 
from  the  land,  and  thyself  turn  away." 

With  that  the  goddess  gave  the  veil, 
24 


and  for  her  part  dived  back  into  the  heav- 
ing deep,  like  a  sea-gull  :  and  the  dark 
vv^ave  closed  over  her.  But  the  steadfast 
goodly  Odysseus  pondered,  and  heavily 
he  spake  to  his  own  brave  spirit : 

"  Ah,  woe  is  me  !  Can  it  be  that 
some  one  of  the  immortals  is  weaving  a 
new  snare  for  me,  that  she  bids  m<.  quit 
my  raft  ?  Nay  verily,  I  will  not  yet  obey, 
for  I  had  sight  of  the  shore  yet  a  long 
way  off,  where  she  told  me  that  I  might 
escape.  I  am  resolved  what  I  will 
do; — and  methinks  on  this  wise  it  is 
best.  As  long  as  the  timbers  abide  in 
the  dowels,  so  long  will  I  endure  stead- 
fast in  affliction,  but  as  soon  as  the  wave 
hath  shattered  my  raft  asunder,  I  will 
swim,  for  meanwhile  no  better  counsel 
may  be." 

While  yet  he  pondered  these  things  in 
his  heart  and  soul,  Poseidon,  shaker  of 
the  earth,  stirred  against  him  a  great 
wave,  terrible  and  grievous,  and  vaulted 
from  the  crest,  and  therewith  smote  him. 
And  as  when  a  great  tempestuous  wind 
tosseth  a  heap  of  parched  husks,  and 
scatters  them  this  way  and  that,  even  so 
25 


did  the  wave  scatter  the  Jong  beams  of 
the  raft.  But  Odysseus  bestrode  a  single 
beam,  as  one  rideth  on  a  courser,  and  stript 
him  of  the  garments  which  fair  Calypso 
gave  him.  And  presently  he  wound  the 
veil  beneath  his  breast,  and  fell  prone 
into  the  sea,  outstretching  his  hands  as 
one  eager  to  swim.  And  the  lord,  the 
shaker  of  the  earth,  saw  him  and  shook 
his  head,  and  communed  with  his  own 
soul.  "  Even  so,  after  all  thy  suffer- 
ings, go  wandering  over  the  deep,  till 
thou  shalt  come  among  a  people,  the 
fosterlings  of  Zeus.  Yet  for  all  that  I 
deem  not  that  thou  shalt  think  thyself 
too  lightly  afflicted."  Therewith  he 
lashed  his  steeds  of  the  flowing  manes, 
and  came  to  ^Egae,  where  is  his  lordly 
home. 


26 


IV. 

THE   ESCAPE   OF   ODYSSEUS 

But  Athene,  daughter  of  Zeus,  turned 
to  new  thoughts.  Behold,  she  bound 
up  the  courses  of  the  other  winds,  and 
charged  them  all  to  cease  and  be  still ; 
but  she  roused  the  swift  North  and  brake 
the  waves  before  him,  that  so  Odysseus, 
of  the  seed  of  Zeus,  might  mingle  with 
27 


the  Phaeacians,  lovers  of  the  oar,  avoid- 
ing death  and  the  fates. 

So  for  two  nights  and  two  days  he 
was  wandering  in  the  swell  of  the  sea, 
and  much  his  heart  boded  of  death. 
But  when  at  last  the  fair-tressed  Dawn 
brought  the  full  light  of  the  third  day, 
thereafter  the  breeze  fell,  and  lo,  there 
was  a  breathless  calm,  and  with  a  quick 
glance  ahead,  (he  being  upborne  on  a 
great  wave,)  he  saw  land  very  near. 
And  even  as  when  most  welcome  to  his 
children  is  the  sight  of  a  father's  life, 
who  lies  in  sickness  and  strong  pains 
long  wasting  away,  some  angry  god 
assailing  him  j  and  to  their  delight  the 
gods  have  loosed  him  from  his  trouble ; 
so  welcome  to  Odysseus  showed  land 
and  wood ;  and  he  swam  onward  being 
eager  to  set  foot  on  the  strand.  But 
when  he  was  within  earshot  of  the  shore, 
and  heard  now  the  thunder  of  the  sea 
against  the  reefs  —  for  the  great  wave 
crashed  against  the  dry  land  belching  in 
terrible  wise,  and  all  was  covered  with 
foam  of  the  sea,  —  for  there  were  no 
harbours  for  ships  nor  shelters,  but  jut- 
28 


ting  headlands  and  reefs  and  cliffs ;  then 
at  last  the  knees  of  Odysseus  were 
loosened  and  his  heart  melted,  and  in 
heaviness  he  spake  to  his  own  brave 
spirit : 

"  Ah  me !  now  that  beyond  all  hope 
Zeus  hath  given  me  sight  of  land,  and 
withal  I  have  cloven   my  way  through 
this  gulf  of  the  sea,  here  there  is  no  place 
to  land  on  from  out  of  the  gray  water. 
For  without  are  sharp  crags,  and  round 
the-n  the  wave  roars  surging,  and  sheer 
the  smooth   rock  rises,  and  the   sea  is 
deep  thereby,  so  that  in  no  wise  may  I 
find  firm  foothold  and  escape  my  bane, 
for  as  I  fain  would  go  ashore,  the  great 
wave  may  haply  snatch  and  dash  me  on 
the  jagged  rock  —  and  a  wretched  en- 
deavour that  would  be.     But  if  I  swim 
yet  farther  along  the  coast  to  find,  if  I 
may,  spits  that  take  the  waves  aslant  and 
havens  of  the  sea,  I  fear  lest  the  storm- 
winds  catch  me  again  and  bear  me  over 
the  teeming  deep,  making  heavy  moan  ; 
or  else  some  god  may  even  send   forth 
against  me  a  monster  from  out  of  the 
shore  water  :    and  many  such  pastureth 
29 


the  renowned  Amphitrite.  For  I  know 
how  wroth  against  me  hath  been  the 
great  Shaker  of  the  Earth." 

Whilst  yet  he  pondered  these  things 
in  his  heart  and  mind,  a  great  wave  bore 
him  to  the  rugged  shore.  There  would 
he  have  been  stript  of  his  skin  and  all 
his  bones  been  broken,  but  that  the  god- 
dess, gray-eyed  Athene,  put  a  thought 
into  his  heart.  He  rushed  in,  and  with 
both  his  hands  clutched  the  rock, 
whereto  he  clung  till  the  great  wave 
went  by. 

So  he  escaped  that  peril,  but  again 
with  backward  wash  it  leapt  on  him 
and  smote  him  and  cast  him  forth  into 
the  deep.  And  as  when  the  cuttlefish 
is  dragged  forth  from  his  chamber,  the 
many  pebbles  clinging  to  his  suckers, 
even  so  was  the  skin  stript  from  his 
strong  hand  against  the  rocks,  and  the 
great  wave  closed  over  him.  There  of 
a  truth  would  luckless  Odysseus  have 
perished  beyond  that  which  was  or- 
dained, had  not  gray-eyed  Athene  given 
him  sure  counsel.  He  rose  from  the 
line  of  the  breakers  that  belch  upon  the 
30 


shore,  and  swam  outside,  ever  looking 
landwards,  to  find,  if  he  might,  spits  that 
take  the  waves  aslant,  and  havens  of  the 
sea.  But  when  he  came  in  his  swimming 
over  against  the  mouth  of  a  fair-flowing 
river,  whereby  the  place  seemed  best  in 
his  eyes,  smooth  of  rocks,  and  withal 
there  was  a  covert  from  the  wind, 
Odysseus  felt  the  river  running,  and 
prayed  to  him  in  his  heart : 

"  Hear  me,  O  king,  whosoever  thou 
art ;  unto  thee  am  I  come,  as  to  one 
to  whom  prayer  is  made,  while  I  flee  the 
rebukes  of  Poseidon  from  the  deep. 
Yea,  reverend  even  to  the  deathless  gods 
is  that  man  who  comes  as  a  wanderer, 
even  as  I  now  have  come  to  thy  stream 
and  to  thy  knees  after  much  travail.  Nay 
pity  me,  O  king ;  for  I  avow  myself 
thy  suppliant." 

So  spake  he,  and  the  god  straightway 
stayed  his  stream  and  withheld  his 
waves  and  made  the  water  smooth 
before  him,  and  brought  him  safely 
to  the  mouths  of  the  river.  And  his 
knees  bowed  and  his  stout  hands  fell, 
for  his  heart  was  broken  by  the  brine. 
31 


And  his  flesh  was  all  swollen  and  a  great 
stream  of  sea  water  gushed  up  through 
his  mouth  and  nostrils.  So  he  lay 
without  breath  or  speech,  swooning, 
such  terrible  weariness  came  upon  him. 
But  when  now  his  breath  returned  and 
his  spirit  came  to  him  again,  he  loosed 
from  off  him  the  veil  of  the  goddess,  and 
let  it  fall  into  the  salt  flowing  river. 
And  the  great  wave  bare  it  back  down 
the  stream,  and  lightly  Ino  caught  it  in 
her  hands.  Then  Odysseus  turned  from 
the  river,  and  fell  back  in  the  reeds,  and 
kissed  earth,  the  grain-giver,  and  heavily 
he  spake  unto  his  own  brave  spirit : 

"  Ah,  woe  is  me !  what  is  to  betide 
me  ?  what  shall  happen  unto  me  at 
the  last  ?  If  I  watch  in  the  river  bed 
all  through  the  careful  night,  I  fear 
that  the  bitter  frost  and  the  fresh  dew 
may  overcome  me,  as  I  breathe  forth 
my  life  for  faintness,  for  the  river  breeze 
blows  cold  betimes  in  the  morning. 
But  if  I  climb  the  hill-side  up  to  the 
shady  wood,  and  there  take  rest  in  the 
thickets,  though  perchance  the  cold  and 
weariness  leave  hold  of  me,  and  sweet 
32 


sleep  may  come  over  me,  I  fear  lest 
of  wild  beasts  I  become  the  spoil  and 
prey." 

So  as  he  thought  thereon  this  seemed 
to  him  the  better  way.  He  went  up  to 
the  wood,  and  found  it  nigh  the  water 
in  a  place  of  wide  prospect.  So  he 
crept  beneath  twin  bushes  that  grew 
from  one  stem,  both  olive  trees,  one 
of  them  wild  olive.  Through  these  the 
force  of  the  wet  winds  blew  never, 
neither  did  the  bright  sun  light  on  it 
with  his  rays,  nor  could  the  rain  pierce 
through,  so  close  were  they  twined 
either  to  other;  and  thereunder  crept 
Odysseus,  and  anon  he  heaped  together 
with  his  hands  a  broad  couch ;  for  of 
fallen  leaves  there  was  great  plenty, 
enough  to  cover  two  or  three  men  in 
winter  time,  however  hard  the  weather. 
And  the  steadfast  goodly  Odysseus  be- 
held it  and  rejoiced,  and  he  laid  him  in 
the  midst  thereof  and  flung  over  him 
the  fallen  leaves.  And  as  when  a  man 
hath  hidden  away  a  brand  in  the  black 
embers  at  an  upland  farm,  one  that 
hath  no  neighbours  nigh,  and  so  saveth 
33 


the  seed  of  fire,  that  he  may  not  have 
to  seek  a  light  otherwhere,  even  so  did 
Odysseus  cover  him  with  the  leaves. 
And  Athene  shed  sleep  upon  his  eyes, 
that  so  it  might  soon  release  him  from 
his  weary  travail,  overshadowing  his 
eyelids. 


34 


V. 

THE   PRINCESS   NAUSICAA 

So  there  he  lay  asleep,  the  steadfast 
goodly  Odysseus,  fordone  with  toil  and 
drowsiness.  Meanwhile  Athene  went 
to  the  land  and  the  city  of  the  Phaea- 
cians,  who  of  old,  upon  a  time,  dwelt 
in  spacious  Hypereia;  near  the  Cy- 
clopes they  dwelt,  men  exceeding  proud, 
who  harried  them  continually,  being 
35 


mightier  than  they.  Thence  the  godlike 
Nausithous  made  them  depart,  and  he 
carried  them  away,  and  planted  them 
in  Scheria,  far  off  from  men  that  live 
by  bread.  And  he  drew  a  wall  around 
the  town,  and  builded  houses  and  made 
temples  for  the  gods  and  meted  out  the 
fields.  Howbeit  ere  this  had  he  been 
stricken  by  fate,  and  had  gone  down  to 
the  house  of  Hades,  and  now  Alcinous 
was  reigning,  with  wisdom  granted  by 
the  gods.  To  his  house  went  the  god- 
dess, gray-eyed  Athene,  devising  a  re- 
turn for  the  great-hearted  Odysseus. 
She  betook  her  to  the  rich-wrought 
bower,  wherein  was  sleeping  a  maiden 
like  to  the  gods  in  form  and  comeliness, 
Nausicaa,  the  daughter  of  Alcinous,  high 
of  heart.  Beside  her  on  either  hand  of 
the  pillars  of  the  door  were  two  hand- 
maids, dowered  with  beauty  from  the 
Graces,  and  the  shining  doors  were  shut. 
But  the  goddess,  fleet  as  the  breath 
of  the  wind,  swept  towards  the  couch 
of  the  maiden,  and  stood  above  her  head, 
and  spake  to  her  in  the  semblance  of 
the  daughter  of  a  famous  seafarer,  Dy- 
36 


mas,  a  girl  of  like  age  with  Nausicaa, 
who  had  found  grace  in  her  sight.  In 
her  shape  the  gray-eyed  Athene  spake 
to  the  princess,  saying : 

"  Nausicaa,  how  hath  thy  mother  so 
heedless  a  maiden  to  her  daughter  ? 
Lo,  thou  hast  shining  raiment  that  lies 
by  thee  uncared  for,  and  thy  marriage- 
day  is  near  at  hand,  when  thou  thy- 
self must  needs  go  beautifully  clad,  and 
have  garments  to  give  to  them  who 
shall  lead  thee  to  the  house  of  the 
bridegroom  !  And,  behold,  these  are 
the  things  whence  a  good  report  goes 
abroad  among  men,  wherein  a  father 
and  lady  mother  take  delight.  But 
come,  let  us  arise  and  go  a-washing 
with  the  breaking  of  the  day,  and  I 
will  follow  with  thee  to  be  thy  mate  in 
the  toil,  that  without  delay  thou  mayest 
get  thee  ready,  since  truly  thou  art  not 
long  to  be  a  maiden.  Lo,  already  they 
are  wooing  thee,  the  noblest  youths  of 
all  of  the  Phaeacians,  among  that  peo- 
ple whence  thou  thyself  dost  draw  thy 
lineage.  So  come,  beseech  thy  noble 
father  betimes  in  the  morning  to  fur- 
37 


nish  thee  with  mules  and  a  wain  to 
carry  the  men's  raiment,  and  the  robes, 
and  the  shining  coverlets.  Yea  and  for 
thyself  it  is  seemlier  far  to  go  thus  than 
on  foot,  for  the  places  where  we  must 
wash  are  a  great  way  off  the  town." 

So  spake  the  gray-eyed  Athene,  and 
departed  to  Olympus,  where,  as  they 
say,  is  the  seat  of  the  gods  that  stand- 
eth  fast  for  ever.  Not  by  winds  is  it 
shaken,  nor  ever  wet  with  rain,  nor 
doth  the  snow  come  nigh  thereto,  but 
most  clear  air  is  spread  about  it  cloud- 
less, and  the  white  light  floats  over  it. 
Therein  the  blessed  gods  are  glad  for 
all  their  days,  and  thither  Athene  went 
when  she  had  shown  forth  all  to  the 
maiden. 

Anon  came  the  throned  Dawn,  and 
awakened  Nausicaa  of  the  fair  robes, 
who  straightway  marvelled  on  the  dream, 
and  went  through  the  halls  to  tell  her 
parents,  her  father  dear  and  her  mother. 
And  she  found  them  within,  her  mother 
sitting  by  the  hearth  with  the  women 
her  handmaids,  spinning  yarn  of  sea- 
purple  stain,  but  her  father  she  met  as 
38 


he  was  going  forth  to  the  renowned 
kings  in  their  council,  whither  the  noble 
Phaeacians  called  him.  Standing  close 
by  her  dear   father   she    spake,   saying  : 

"  Father,  dear,  couldst  thou  not  lend 
me  a  high  wagon  with  strong  wheels, 
that  I  may  take  the  goodly  raiment  to 
the  river  to  wash,  so  much  as  I  have 
lying  soiled  ?  Yea  and  it  is  seemly  that 
thou  thyself,  when  thou  art  with  the 
princes  in  council,  shouldest  have  fresh 
raiment  to  wear.  Also,  there  are  five 
dear  sons  of  thine  in  the  halls,  two 
married,  but  three  are  lusty  bachelors, 
and  these  are  always  eager  for  new- 
washen  garments  wherein  to  go  to  the 
dances ;  for  all  these  things  have  I 
taken  thought." 

This  she  said,  because  she  was 
ashamed  to  speak  of  glad  marriage  to 
her  father ;  but  he  saw  all  and  an- 
swered, saying : 

"  Neither  the  mules  nor  aught  else 
do  I  grudge  thee,  my  child.  Go  thy 
ways,  and  the  thralls  shall  get  thee 
ready  a  high  wagon  with  good  wheels, 
and  fitted  with  an  upper  frame." 

39 


Therewith  he  called  to  his  men,  and 
they  gave  ear,  and  without  the  palace 
they  made  ready  the  smooth-running 
mule-wain,  and  led  the  mules  beneath 
the  yoke,  and  harnessed  them  under 
the  car,  while  the  maiden  brought  forth 
from  her  bower  the  shining  raiment. 
ThisiShe  stored  in  the  polished  car,  and 
her  mother  filled  a  basket  with  all  man- 
ner of  food  to  the  heart's  desire,  dainties 
too  she  set  therein,  and  she  poured  wine 
into  a  goat-skin  bottle,  while  Nausicaa 
climbed  into  the  wain.  And  her  mother 
gave  her  soft  olive  oil  also  in  a  golden 
cruse,  that  she  and  her  maidens  might 
anoint  themselves  after  the  bath.  Then 
Nausicaa  took  the  whip  and  the  shining 
reins,  and  touched  the  mules  to  start 
them ;  then  there  was  a  clatter  of  hoofs, 
and  on  they  strained  without  flagging, 
with  their  load  of  the  raiment  and  the 
maiden.  Not  alone  did  she  go,  for  her 
attendants  followed  with  her. 

Now   when   they   were  come   to   the 

beautiful    stream    of    the    river,   where 

truly  were   the   unfailing    cisterns,    and 

bright   water  welled   up   free   from   be- 

40 


neath,  and  flowed  past,  enough  to  wash 
the  foulest  garments  clean,  there  the 
girls  unharnessed  the  mules  from  un- 
der the  chariot,  and  turning  them  loose 
they  drove  them  along  the  banks  of 
the  eddying  river  to  graze  on  the  honey- 
sweet  clover.  Then  they  took  the  gar- 
ments from  the  wain,  in  their  hands, 
and  bore  them  to  the  black  water,  and 
briskly  trod  them  down  in  the  trenches, 
in  busy  rivalry.  Now  when  they  had 
washed  and  cleansed  all  the  stains,  they 
spread  all  out  in  order  along  the  shore 
of  the  deep,  even  where  the  sea,  in 
beating  on  the  coast,  washed  the  peb- 
bles clean.  Then  having  bathed  and 
anointed  them  well  with  olive  oil,  they 
took  their  mid-day  meal  on  the  river's 
banks,  waiting  till  the  clothes  should 
dry  in  the  brightness  of  the  sun. 

Anon,  when  they  were  satisfied  with 
food,  the  maidens  and  the  princess,  they 
fell  to  playing  at  ball,  casting  away  their 
tires,  and  among  them  Nausicaa  of  the 
white  arms  began  the  song.  And  even 
as  Artemis,  the  archer,  moveth  down  the 
mountain,  either  along  the  ridges  of 
41 


lofty  Taygetus  or  Erymanthus,  taking 
her  pastime  in  the  chase  of  boars  and 
swift  deer,  and  with  her  the  wild  wood- 
nymphs  disport  them,  the  daughters  of 
Zeus,  lord  of  the  aegis,  and  Leto  is  glad 
at  heart,  while  high  over  all  she  rears 
her  head  and  brows,  and  easily  may  she 
be  known,  —  but  all  are  fair  j  even  so 
the  girl  unwed  outshone  her  maiden 
company. 


42 


t 


VI. 


ODYSSEUS   AS   A   SUPPLIANT 


But  when  now  she  was  about  going 
homewards,  after  yoking  the  mules 
and  folding  up  the  goodly  raiment, 
then  gray-eyed  Athene  turned  to  other 
thoughts,  that  so  Odysseus  might  awake, 
and  see  the  lovely  maiden,  who  should 
be  his  guide  to  the  city  of  the  Phaeacian 
men.  So  then  the  princess  threw  the 
43 


ball  at  one  of  her  company;  she  missed 
the  girl,  and  cast  the  ball  into  the  deep 
eddying  current,  whereat  they  all  raised 
a  piercing  cry.  Then  the  goodly  Odys- 
seus awoke  and  sat  up,  pondering  in 
his  heart  and  spirit : 

"  Woe  is  me !  to  what  men's  land 
am  I  come  now  ?  say,  are  they  fro- 
ward,  and  wild,  and  unjust,  or  are  they 
hospitable,  and  of  God-fearing  mind  ? 
How  shrill  a  cry  of  maidens  rings  round 
me,  of  the  nymphs  that  hold  the  steep 
hill-tops,  and  the  river-springs,  and  the 
grassy  water  meadows  !  It  must  be,  me- 
thinks,  that  I  am  near  men  of  human 
speech.  Go  to,  I  myself  will  make  trial 
and  see." 

Therewith  the  goodly  Odysseus  crept 
out  from  under  the  coppice,  having 
broken  with  his  strong  hand  a  leafy 
bough  from  the  thick  wood,  to  hold 
athwart  his  body,  that  it  might  hide 
his  nakedness  withal.  And  forth  he 
sallied  like  a  lion  mountain-bred,  trust- 
ing in  his  strength,  who  fares  out  blown 
and  rained  upon,  with  flaming  eyes ; 
amid  the  kine  he  goes  or  amid  the 
44 


sheep  or  in  the  track  of  the  wild  deer; 
yea,  his  belly  bids  him  go  even  to  the 
good  homestead  to  make  assay  upon 
the  flocks.  Even  so  Odysseus  was  fain 
to  draw  nigh  to  the  fair-tressed  maid- 
ens, all  naked  as  he  was,  such  need 
had  come  upon  him. 

But  he  was  terrible  in  their  eyes,  being 
marred  with  the  salt  sea  foam,  and  they 
fled  cowering  here  and  there  about  the 
jutting  spits  of  shore.  And  the  daughter 
of  Alcinous  alone  stood  firm,  for  Athene 
gave  her  courage  of  heart,  and  took 
all  trembling  from  her  limbs.  So  she 
halted  and  stood  over  against  him,  and 
Odysseus  considered  whether  he  should 
clasp  the  knees  of  the  lovely  maiden, 
and  so  make  his  prayer,  or  should  stand 
as  he  was,  apart,  and  beseech  her  with 
smooth  words,  if  haply  she  might  show 
him  the  town,  and  give  him  raiment. 
And  as  he  thought  within  himself,  it 
seemed  better  to  stand  apart,  and  be- 
seech her  with  smooth  words,  lest  the 
maiden  should  be  angered  with  him  if 
he  touched  her  knees :  so  straightway 
he  spake  a  sweet  and  cunning  word  : 
45 


"  I  supplicate  thee,  O  queen,  whether 
thou  art  a  goddess  or  a  mortal !  If  in- 
deed thou  art  a  goddess  of  them  that 
keep  the  wide  heaven ;  to  Artemis, 
then,  the  daughter  of  great  Zeus,  I 
mainly  liken  thee,  for  beauty  and  stat- 
ure and  shapeliness.  But  if  thou  art 
one  of  the  daughters  of  men  who  dwell 
on  earth,  thrice  blessed  are  thy  father 
and  thy  lady  mother,  and  thrice  blessed 
thy  brethren.  Surely  their  souls  ever 
glow  with  gladness  for  thy  sake,  each 
time  they  see  thee  entering  the  dance, 
so  fair  a  flower  of  maidens.  But  he  is 
of  heart  the  most  blessed  beyond  all 
other  who  shall  prevail  with  gifts  of 
wooing,  and  lead  thee  to  his  home. 
Never  have  mine  eyes  beheld  such  an 
one  among  mortals,  neither  man  nor 
woman ;  great  awe  comes  upon  me  as 
I  look  on  thee. 

"  Yet  in  Delos  once  I  saw  as  goodly 
a  thing :  a  young  sapling  of  a  palm-tree 
springing  by  the  altar  of  Apollo.  For 
thither  too  I  went,  and  much  people 
with  me,  on  that  path  where  my  sore 
troubles  were  to  be.  Yea,  and  when  I 
46 


looked  thereupon,  long  time  I  marvelled 
in  spirit,  —  for  never  grew  there  yet  so 
goodly  a  shoot  from  ground,  —  even  in 
such  wise  as  I  wonder  at  thee,  lady,  and 
am  astonied  and  do  greatly  fear  to  touch 
thy  knees,  though  grievous  sorrow  is 
upon  me.  Yesterday,  on  the  twentieth 
day,  I  escaped  from  the  wine-dark  deep, 
but  all  that  time  continually  the  wave 
bare  me,  and  the  vehement  winds  drave, 
from  the  isle  Ogygia.  And  now  some 
god  has  cast  me  on  this  shore,  that  here 
too,  methinks,  some  evil  may  betide  me  ; 
for  I  trow  not  that  trouble  will  cease; 
the  gods  ere  that  time  will  yet  bring 
many  a  thing  to  pass. 

"  But,  queen,  have  pity  on  me,  for 
after  many  trials  and  sore  to  thee  first 
of  all  am  I  come,  and  of  the  other  folk, 
who  hold  this  city  and  land,  I  know  no 
man.  Nay  show  me  the  town,  give  me 
an  old  garment  to  cast  about  me,  if  thou 
hadst,  when  thou  camest  here,  any  wrap 
for  the  linen.  And  may  the  gods  grant 
thee  all  thy  heart's  desire :  a  husband 
and  a  home,  and  a  mind  at  one  with  his 
may  they  give  —  a  good  gift,  for  there 
47 


is  nothing  mightier  and  nobler  than 
when  man  and  wife  are  of  one  heart 
and  mind  in  a  house,  a  grief  to  their 
foes,  and  to  their  friends  great  joy,  but 
their  own  hearts  know  it  best." 

Then  Nausicaa  of  the  white  arms 
answered  him,  and  said  :  "  Stranger,  for- 
asmuch as  thou  seemest  no  evil  man 
nor  foolish  —  and  it  is  Olympian  Zeus 
himself  that  giveth  weal  to  men,  to  the 
good  and  to  the  evil,  to  each  one  as  he 
will,  and  this  thy  lot  doubtless  is  of 
him,  and  so  thou  must  in  anywise  en- 
dure it :  —  and  now,  since  thou  hast 
come  to  our  city  and  our  land,  thou 
shalt  not  lack  raiment,  nor  aught  else 
that  is  the  due  of  a  hapless  suppliant, 
when  he  has  met  them  who  can  be- 
friend him.  And  I  will  show  thee  the 
town,  and  name  the  name  of  the  people. 
The  Phaeacians  hold  this  city  and  land, 
and  I  am  the  daughter  of  Alcinous, 
great  of  heart,  on  whom  all  the  might 
and  force  of  the    Phaeacians  depend." 

Thus  she  spake,  and  called  to  her 
maidens  of  the  fair  tresses  :  "  Halt,  my 
maidens,  whither  flee  ye  at  the  sight  of 
48 


a  man  ?  Ye  surely  do  not  take  him  for 
an  enemy  ?  That  mortal  breathes  not, 
and  never  will  be  born,  who  shall  come 
with  war  to  the  land  of  the  Phaeacians, 
for  they  are  very  dear  to  the  gods.  Far 
apart  we  live  in  the  wash  of  the  waves, 
the  outermost  of  men,  and  no  other 
mortals  are  conversant  with  us.  Nay, 
but  this  man  is  some  helpless  one  come 
hither  in  his  wanderings,  whom  now 
we  must  kindly  entreat,  for  all  strangers 
and  beggars  are  from  Zeus,  and  a  little 
gift  is  dear.  So,  my  maidens,  give  the 
stranger  meat  and  drink,  and  bathe  him 
in  the  river,  where  withal  is  a  shelter 
from  the  winds." 

So  she  spake,  but  they  had  halted 
and  called  each  to  the  other,  and  they 
brought  Odysseus  to  the  sheltered  place, 
and  made  him  sit  down,  as  Nausicaa 
bade  them,  the  daughter  of  Alcinous, 
high  of  heart.  Beside  him  they  laid  a 
mantle,  and  a  doublet  for  raiment,  and 
gave  him  soft  olive  oil  in  the  golden 
cruse,  and  bade  him  wash  in  the  streams 
of  the  river.  Then  goodly  Odysseus 
spake  among  the  maidens,  saying : 
49 


"  I  pray  you  stand  thus  apart,  while 
I  myself  wash  the  brine  from  my 
shoulders,  and  anoint  me  with  olive  oil, 
for  truly  oil  is  long  a  stranger  to  my 
skin.  But  in  your  sight  I  will  not  bathe, 
for  I  am  ashamed  to  make  me  naked 
in  the  company  of  fair-tressed  maidens." 

Then  they  went  apart  and  told  all  to 
their  lady.  But  with  the  river  water  the 
goodly  Odysseus  washed  from  his  skin 
the  salt  scurf  that  covered  his  back  and 
broad  shoulders,  and  from  his  head  he 
wiped  the  crusted  brine  of  the  barren 
sea.  But  when  he  had  washed  his  whole 
body,  and  anointed  him  with  olive  oil, 
and  had  clad  himself  in  the  raiment  that 
the  unwedded  maiden  gave  him,  then 
Athene,  the  daughter  of  Zeus,  made 
him  greater  and  more  mighty  to  behold, 
and  from  his  head  caused  deep  curling 
locks  to  flow,  like  the  hyacinth  flower. 
And  as  when  some  skilful  man  over- 
lays gold  upon  silver  —  one  that  He- 
phaestus and  Pallas  Athene  have  taught 
all  manner  of  craft,  and  full  of  grace 
is  his  handiwork  —  even  so  did  Athene 
shed  grace  about  his  head  and  shoulders. 
50 


Then  to  the  shore  of  the  sea  went 
Odysseus  apart,  and  sat  down,  glowing 
in  beauty  and  grace,  and  the  princess 
marvelled  at  him,  and  spake  among  her 
fair-tressed  maidens,  saying : 

"  Listen,  my  white-armed  maidens, 
and  I  will  say  somewhat.  Not  without 
the  will  of  all  the  gods  who  hold  Olym- 
pus hath  this  man  come  among  the  god- 
like Phaeacians.  Erewhile  he  seemed  to 
me  uncomely,  but  now  he  is  like  the  gods 
that  keep  the  wide  heaven.  Would  that 
such  an  one  might  be  called  my  hus- 
band, dwelling  here,  and  that  it  might 
please  him  here  to  abide !  But  come, 
my  maidens,  give  the  stranger  meat  and 
drink." 

Thus  she  spake,  and  they  gave  ready 
ear  and  hearkened,  and  set  beside  Odys- 
seus meat  and  drink,  and  the  steadfast 
goodly  Odysseus  did  eat  and  drink 
eagerly,  for  it  was  long  since  he  had 
tasted  food. 

Now  Nausicaa  of  the  white  arms  had 
another  thought.  She  folded  the  rai- 
ment and  stored  it  in  the  goodly  wain, 
and   yoked    the   mules   strong   of   hoof, 

SI 


and  herself  climbed  into  the  car.  Then 
she  called  on  Odysseus,  and  spake  and 
hailed   him : 

"  Up  now,  stranger,  and  rouse  thee 
to  go  to  the  city,  that  I  may  convey 
thee  to  the  house  of  my  wise  father, 
where,  I  promise  thee,  thou  shalt  get 
knowledge  of  all  the  noblest  of  the 
Phzeacians.  But  do  thou  even  as  I  tell 
thee,  and  thou  seemest  a  discreet  man 
enough.  As  long  as  we  are  passing 
along  the  fields  and  farms  of  men,  do 
thou  fare  quickly  with  the  maidens  be- 
hind the  mules  and  the  chariot,  and  I 
will  lead  the  way.  But  when  we  set 
foot  within  the  city,  —  whereby  goes  a 
high  wall  with  towers,  and  there  is  a 
fair  haven  on  either  side  of  the  town, 
and  narrow  is  the  entrance,  and  curved 
ships  are  drawn  up  on  either  hand  of 
the  mole,  for  all  the  folk  have  stations 
for  their  vessels,  each  man  one  for  him- 
self. And  there  is  the  place  of  assem- 
bly about  the  goodly  temple  of  Poseidon, 
furnished  with  heavy  stones,  deep  bed- 
ded in  the  earth.  There  men  look  to 
the  gear  of  the  black  ships,  hawsers  and 
52 


sails,  and  there  they  fine  down  the  oars. 
For  the  Phasacians  care  not  for  bow  nor 
quiver,  but  for  masts,  and  oars  of  ships, 
and  gallant  barques,  wherein  rejoicing 
they  cross  the  gray  sea.  Their  ungra- 
cious speech  it  is  that  I  would  avoid, 
lest  some  man  afterward  rebuke  me, 
and  there  are  but  too  many  insolent  folk 
among  the  people. 

"  And  some  one  of  the  baser  sort 
might  meet  me  and  say :  '  Who  is 
this  that  goes  with  Nausicaa,  this  tall 
and  goodly  stranger  ?  Where  found  she 
him  ?  Her  husband  he  will  be,  her  very 
own.  Either  she  has  taken  in  some 
shipwrecked  wanderer  of  strange  men, 
—  for  no  men  dwell  near  us ;  or  some 
god  has  come  in  answer  to  her  instant 
prayer;  from  heaven  has  he  descended, 
and  will  have  her  to  wife  for  ever  more. 
Better  so,  if  herself  she  has  ranged 
abroad  and  found  a  lord  from  a  strange 
land,  for  verily  she  holds  in  no  regard 
the  Phaeacians  here  in  this  country,  the 
many  men  and  nobles  who  are  her 
wooers.' 

"  So  will  they  speak,  and  this  would 
53 


turn  to  my  reproach.  Yea,  and  I  my- 
self would  think  it  blame  of  another 
maiden  who  did  such  things  in  despite 
of  her  friends,  her  father  and  mother 
being  still  alive,  and  was  conversant 
with  men  before  the  day  of  open  wed- 
lock. But,  stranger,  heed  well  what  I 
say,  that  as  soon  as  may  be  thou  may- 
est  gain  at  my  father's  hands  an  escort 
and  a  safe  return.  Thou  shalt  find  a 
fair  grove  of  Athene,  a  poplar  grove 
near  the  road,  and  a  spring  wells  forth 
therein,  and  a  meadow  lies  all  around. 
There  is  my  father's  demesne,  and  his 
fruitful  close,  within  the  sound  of  a 
man's  shout  from  the  city.  Sit  thee 
down  there  and  wait  until  such  time 
as  we  may  have  come  into  the  city,  and 
reached  the  house  of  my  father. 

"  But  when  thou  deemest  that  we  are 
got  to  the  palace,  then  go  up  to  the  city 
of  the  Phaeacians,  and  ask  for  the  house 
of  my  father  Alcinous,  high  of  heart. 
It  is  easily  known,  and  a  young  child 
could  be  thy  guide,  for  nowise  like  it 
are  builded  the  houses  of  the  Phaeacians, 
so  goodly  is  the  palace  of  the  hero  Al- 
54 


cinous.  But  when  thou  art  within  the 
shadow  of  the  halls  and  the  court,  pass 
quickly  through  the  great  chamber,  till 
thou  comest  to  my  mother,  who  sits  at 
the  hearth  in  the  light  of  the  fire,  weav- 
ing yarn  of  sea-purple  stain,  a  wonder 
to  behold.  Her  chair  is  leaned  against 
a  pillar,  and  her  maidens  sit  behind 
her.  And  there  my  father's  throne  leans 
close  to  hers,  wherein  he  sits  and  drinks 
his  wine,  like  an  immortal.  Pass  thou 
by  him,  and  cast  thy  hands  about  my 
mother's  knees,  that  thou  mayest  see 
quickly  and  with  joy  the  day  of  thy 
returning,  even  if  thou  art  from  a  very 
far  country.  If  but  her  heart  be  kindly 
disposed  toward  thee,  then  is  there  hope 
that  thou  shalt  see  thy  friends,  and  come 
to  thy  well-builded  house,  and  to  thine 
own  country." 


55 


VII. 

ODYSSEUS   FARES  TO  THE 
CITY 


She  spake,  and  smote  the  mules  with 
the  shining  whip,  and  quickly  they  left 
behind  them  the  streams  of  the  river. 
And  well  they  trotted  and  well  they 
paced,  and  she  took  heed  to  drive  in 
such  wise  that  the  maidens  and  Odys- 
seus might  follow  on  foot,  and  cun- 
56 


ningly  she  plied  the  lash.  Then  the 
sun  set,  and  they  came  to  the  famous 
grove,  the  sacred  place  of  Athene  j  so 
there  the  goodly  Odysseus  sat  him 
down.  Then  straightway  he  prayed  to 
the  daughter  of  mighty  Zeus : 

"  Listen  to  me,  child  of  Zeus,  lord  of 
the  aegis,  unwearied  maiden;  hear  me 
even  now,  since  before  thou  heard- 
est  not  when  I  was  smitten  on  the 
sea,  when  the  renowned  Earth-shaker 
smote  me.  Grant  me  to  come  to  the 
Phaeacians  as  one  dear,  and  worthy  of 
pity." 

So  he  spake  in  prayer,  and  Pallas 
Athene  heard  him;  but  she  did  not  yet 
appear  to  him  face  to  face,  for  she  had 
regard  unto  her  father's  brother,  who 
furiously  raged  against  the  godlike  Odys- 
seus, till  he  should  come  to  his  own 
country. 

So  he  prayed  there,  the  steadfast 
goodly  Odysseus,  while  the  two  strong 
mules  bare  the  princess  to  the  town. 
And  when  she  had  now  come  to  the 
famous  palace  of  her  father,  she  halted 
at  the  gateway,  and  round  her  gathered 
57 


her  brothers,  men  like  to  the  immortals, 
and  they  loosed  the  mules  from  under 
the  car,  and  carried  the  raiment  within. 
But  the  maiden  betook  her  to  her  cham- 
ber; and  an  aged  dame  from  Aperaea 
kindled  the  fire  for  her,  Eurymedusa, 
the  handmaid  of  the  chamber,  whom 
the  curved  ships  upon  a  time  had  brought 
from  Aperaea  ;  and  men  chose  her  as  a 
prize  for  Alcinous,  seeing  that  he  bare 
rule  over  all  the  Phaeacians,  and  the 
people  hearkened  to  him  as  to  a  god. 
She  waited  on  the  white-armed  Nau- 
sicaa  in  the  palace  halls ;  she  was  wont 
to  kindle  the  fire  and  prepare  the  supper 
in  the  inner  chamber. 

At  that  same  hour  Odysseus  roused 
him  to  go  to  the  city,  and  Athene  shed 
a  deep  mist  about  Odysseus  for  the 
favour  that  she  bare  him,  lest  any  of  the 
Phaeacians,  high  of  heart,  should  meet 
him  and  mock  him  in  sharp  speech,  and 
ask  him  who  he  was.  But  when  he  was 
now  about  to  enter  the  pleasant  city, 
then  the  goddess,  gray-eyed  Athene, 
met  him,  in  the  fashion  of  a  young 
maiden  carrying  a  pitcher,  and  she  stood 
58 


over  against  him,  and  goodly  Odysseus 
inquired  of  her : 

"  My  child,  couldst  thou  not  lead  me 
to  the  palace  of  the  lord  Alcinous,  who 
bears  sway  among  this  people  ?  Lo,  I 
am  come  here,  a  stranger  travel-worn 
from  afar,  from  a  distant  land ;  where- 
fore of  the  folk  who  possess  this  city 
and  country  I  know  not  any  man." 

Then  the  goddess,  gray-eyed  Athene, 
answered  him  saying :  "  Yea  now, 
father  and  stranger,  I  will  show  thee  the 
house  that  thou  bidst  me  declare,  for  it 
lies  near  the  palace  of  my  noble  father; 
behold,  be  silent  as  thou  goest,  and  I 
will  lead  the  way.  And  look  on  no 
man,  nor  question  any.  For  these  men 
do  not  gladly  sufFer  strangers,  nor  lov- 
ingly entreat  whoso  cometh  from  a 
strange  land.  They  trust  to  the  speed 
of  their  swift  ships,  wherewith  they  cross 
the  great  gulf,  for  the  Earth-shaker  hath 
vouchsafed  them  this  power.  Their 
ships  are  swift  as  the  flight  of  a  bird,  or 
as  a  thought." 

Therewith  Pallas  Athene  led  the  way 
swiftly,  and  he  followed  hard  in  the 
59 


footsteps  of  the  goddess.  And  it  came 
to  pass  that  the  Phaeacians,  mariners  re- 
nowned, marked  him  not  as  he  went 
down  the  city  through  their  midst,  for 
the  fair-tressed  Athene  suffered  it  not, 
that  awful  goddess,  who  shed  a  won- 
drous mist  about  him,  for  the  favour 
that  she  bare  him  in  her  heart.  And 
Odysseus  marvelled  at  the  havens  and 
the  gallant  ships,  yea  and  the  places  of 
assembly  of  the  heroes,  and  the  long 
high  walls  crowned  with  palisades,  a 
marvel  to  behold.  But  when  they  had 
now  come  to  the  famous  palace  of  the 
king,  the  goddess,  gray-eyed  Athene, 
spake  first  and  said : 

"  Lo,  here,  father  and  stranger,  is 
the  house  that  thou  wouldst  have  me 
show  thee  :  and  thou  shalt  find  kings  at 
the  feast,  the  fosterlings  of  Zeus  ;  enter 
then,  and  fear  not  in  thine  heart,  for  the 
dauntless  man  is  the  best  in  every  ad- 
venture, even  though  he  come  from  a 
strange  land.  Thou  shalt  find  the  queen 
first  in  the  halls :  Arete  is  the  name 
whereby  men  call  her,  and  she  came 
even  of  those  that  begat  the  king  Alci- 
60 


nous.  First  Nausithous  was  son  of 
Poseidon,  the  Earth-shaker,  and  of  Peri- 
boea,  the  comeliest  of  women,  youngest 
daughter  of  great-hearted  Eurymedon, 
who  once  was  king  among  the  haughty 
Giants.  Howbeit,  he  destroyed  his  in- 
fatuate people,  and  was  himself  des- 
troyed ;  but  Poseidon  lay  with  Periboea 
and  begat  a  son,  proud  Nausithous,  who 
sometime  was  prince  among  the  Phaea- 
cians ;  and  Nausithous  begat  Rhexenor 
and  Alcinous. 

"  While  Rhexenor  had  as  yet  no  son, 
Apollo  of  the  silver  bow  smote  him, 
a  groom  new  wed,  leaving  in  his  halls 
one  only  child  Arete ;  and  Alcinous 
took  her  to  wife,  and  honoured  her  as 
no  other  woman  in  the  world  is  hon- 
oured, of  all  that  now-a-days  keep  house 
under  the  hand  of  their  lords.  Thus 
she  hath,  and  hath  ever  had,  all  wor- 
ship heartily  from  her  dear  children  and 
from  her  lord  Alcinous  and  from  all  the 
folk,  who  look  on  her  as  on  a  goddess, 
and  greet  her  with  reverend  speech, 
when  she  goes  about  the  town.  Yea,  for 
she  too  hath  no  lack  of  understanding. 
6i 


To  whomso  she  shows  favour,  even  if 
they  be  men,  she  ends  their  feuds.  If 
but  her  heart  be  kindly  disposed  to  thee, 
then  is  there  good  hope  that  thou  mayest 
see  thy  friends,  and  come  to  thy  high- 
roofed  home  and  thine  own  country." 

Therewith  gray-eyed  Athene  departed 
over  the  un harvested  seas,  and  left 
pleasant  Scheria,  and  came  to  Marathon 
and  wide-wayed  Athens,  and  entered 
the  good  house  of  Erechtheus.  Mean- 
while Odysseus  went  to  the  famous 
palace  of  Alcinous,  and  his  heart  was 
full  of  many  thoughts  as  he  stood  there 
or  ever  he  had  reached  the  threshold  of 
bronze.  For  there  was  a  gleam  as  it 
were  of  sun  or  moon  through  the  high- 
roofed  hall  of  great-hearted  Alcinous. 


VIII. 


THE   PALACE   OF   ALCINOUS 

Brazen  were  the  walls  which  ran  this 
way  and  that  from  the  threshold  to  the 
inmost  chamber,  and  round  them  was 
a  frieze  of  blue,  and  golden  were  the 
doors  that  closed  in  the  good  house. 
Silver  were  the  door-posts  that  were  set 
on  the  brazen  threshold,  and  silver  the 
63 


lintel  thereupon,  and  the  hook  of  the  door 
was  of  gold.  And  on  either  side  stood 
golden  hounds  and  silver,  which  He- 
phaestus wrought  by  his  cunning,  to 
guard  the  palace  of  great-hearted  Alci- 
nous,  being  free  from  death  and  age 
all  their  days.  And  within  were  seats 
arrayed  against  the  wall  this  way  and 
that,  from  the  threshold  even  to  the  inmost 
chamber,  and  thereon  were  spread  light 
coverings  finely  woven,  the  handiwork 
of  women. 

There  the  Phasacian  chieftains  were 
wont  to  sit  eating  and  drinking,  for 
they  had  continual  store.  Yea,  and 
there  were  youths  fashioned  in  gold, 
standing  on  firm-set  bases,  with  flam- 
ing torches  in  their  hands,  giving  light 
through  the  night  to  the  feasters  in 
the  palace.  And  he  had  fifty  hand- 
maids in  the  house,  and  some  grind  the 
yellow  grain  on  the  millstone,  and  others 
weave  webs  and  turn  the  yarn  as  they 
sit,  restless  as  the  leaves  of  the  tall  pop- 
lar-tree :  and  the  soft  olive  oil  drops  ofF 
that  linen,  so  closely  is  it  woven.  For 
as  the  Phaeacian  men  are  skilled  beyond 
64 


all  others  in  driving  a  swift  ship  upon 
the  deep,  even  so  are  the  women  the 
most  cunning  at  the  loom,  for  Athene 
hath  given  them  notable  wisdom  in  all 
fair  handiwork  and  cunning  wit. 

And  without  the  courtyard  hard  by 
the  door  is  a  great  garden,  of  four 
ploughgates,  and  a  hedge  runs  round 
on  either  side.  And  there  grow  tall 
trees  blossoming,  pear-trees  and  pome- 
granates, and  apple-trees  with  bright 
fruit,  and  sweet  figs,  and  olives  in  their 
bloom.  The  fruit  of  these  trees  never 
perisheth  neither  faileth,  winter  nor 
summer,  enduring  through  all  the  year. 
Evermore  the  West  Wind  blowing 
brings  some  fruits  to  birth  and  ripens 
others.  Pear  upon  pear  waxes  old,  and 
apple  on  apple,  yea  and  cluster  ripens 
upon  cluster  of  the  grape,  and  fig  upon 

fig. 

There  too  hath  he  a  fruitful  vineyard 

planted,  whereof  the  one  part  is  being 
dried  by  the  heat,  a  sunny  plot  on  level 
ground,  while  other  grapes  men  are 
gathering,  and  yet  others  they  are  tread- 
ing in  the  wine-press.  In  the  foremost 
65 


row  are  unripe  grapes  that  cast  the  blos- 
som, and  others  there  be  that  are  grow- 
ing black  to  vintaging.  There  too, 
skirting  the  furthest  line,  are  all  manner 
of  garden  beds,  planted  trimly,  that  are 
perpetually  fresh,  and  therein  are  two 
fountains  of  water,  whereof  one  scatters 
his  streams  all  about  the  garden,  and 
the  other  runs  over  against  it  beneath 
the  threshold  of  the  courtyard,  and 
issues  by  the  lofty  house,  and  thence 
did  the  townsfolk  draw  water.  These 
were  the  splendid  gifts  of  the  gods  in 
the  palace  of  Alcinous. 

There  the  steadfast  goodly  Odysseus 
stood  and  gazed.  But  when  he  had 
gazed  at  all  and  wondered,  he  passed 
quickly  over  the  threshold  within  the 
house.  And  he  found  the  captains  and 
the  counsellors  of  the  Phaeacians  pour- 
ing forth  wine  to  the  keen-sighted  god, 
the  slayer  of  Argos ;  for  to  him  they 
poured  the  last  cup  when  they  were 
minded  to  take  rest.  Now  the  steadfast 
goodly  Odysseus  went  through  the  house, 
clad  in  a  thick  mist,  which  Athene  shed 
around  him,  till  he  came  to  Arete  and 
66 


the  king  Alcinous.  And  Odysseus  cast 
his  hands  about  the  knees  of  Arete,  and 
then  it  was  that  the  wondrous  mist 
melted  from  ofF  him,  and  a  silence  fell 
on  them  that  were  within  the  house  at 
the  sight  of  him,  and  they  marvelled  as 
they  beheld  him.  Then  Odysseus  began 
his  prayer  : 

"  Arete,  daughter  of  god-like  Rhexe- 
nor,  after  many  toils  am  I  come  to  thy 
husband  and  to  thy  knees  and  to  these 
guests,  and  may  the  gods  vouchsafe  them 
a  happy  life,  and  may  each  one  leave  to 
his  children  after  him  his  substance  in 
his  halls  and  whatever  dues  of  honour 
the  people  have  rendered  unto  him. 
But  speed,  I  pray  you,  my  parting,  that 
I  may  come  the  more  quickly  to  mine 
own  country,  for  already  too  long  do  I 
suffer  affliction  far  from  my  friends." 

Therewith  he  sat  him  down  by  the 
hearth  in  the  ashes  at  the  fire,  and  be- 
hold, a  dead  silence  fell  on  all.  And  at 
the  last  the  ancient  lord  Echeneus  spake 
among  them,  an  elder  of  the  Phaeacians, 
excellent  in  speech  and  skilled  in  much 
wisdom  of  old  time.  With  good  will 
^7 


he  made  harangue  and  spake  among 
them  : 

"  Alcinous,  this  truly  is  not  the  more 
seemly  way,  nor  is  it  fitting  that  the 
stranger  should  sit  upon  the  ground  in 
the  ashes  by  the  hearth,  while  these  men 
refrain  them,  waiting  thy  word.  Nay 
come,  bid  the  stranger  arise,  and  set  him 
on  a  chair  inlaid  with  silver,  and  com- 
mand the  henchmen  to  mix  the  wine, 
that  we  may  pour  forth  likewise  before 
Zeus,  whose  joy  is  in  the  thunder,  who 
attendeth  upon  reverend  suppliants. 
And  let  the  housewife  give  supper  to 
the  stranger  out  of  such  stores  as  be 
within." 

Now  when  the  mighty  king  Alcinous 
heard  this  saying,  he  took  Odysseus,  the 
wise  and  crafty,  by  the  hand,  and  raised 
him  from  the  hearth,  and  set  him  on  a 
shining  chair,  whence  he  bade  his  son 
give  place,  valiant  Laodamas,  who  sat 
next  him  and  was  his  dearest.  And  a 
handmaid  bare  water  for  the  hands  in  a 
goodly  golden  ewer,  and  poured  it  forth 
over  a  silver  basin  to  wash  withal,  and 
drew  to  his  side  a  polished  table.  And 
68 


a  grave  dame  bare  wheaten  bread  and 
set  it  by  him  and  laid  upon  the  board 
many  dainties,  giving  freely  of  such 
things  as  she  had  by  her.  So  the  stead- 
fast goodly  Odysseus  did  eat  and  drink ; 
and  then  the  mighty  Alcinous  spake  unto 
the  henchman  : 

''  Pontonous,  mix  the  bowl  and  serve 
out  the  wine  to  all  in  the  hall,  that  we 
may  pour  forth  likewise  before  Zeus, 
whose  joy  is  in  the  thunder,  who  at- 
tendeth  upon  reverend  suppliants." 

So  spake  he,  and  Pontonous  mixed 
the  honey-hearted  wine,  and  served  it 
out  to  all,  when  he  had  poured  for  liba- 
tion into  each  cup  in  turn.  But  when 
they  had  poured  forth  and  had  drunken 
to  their  hearts'  content,  Alcinous  made 
harangue  and  spake  among  them  : 

"  Hear  me,  ye  captains  and  counsellors 
of  the  Phaeacians,  that  I  may  speak  as 
my  spirit  bids  me.  Now  that  the  feast 
is  over,  go  ye  home  and  lie  down  to 
rest ;  and  in  the  morning  we  will  call 
yet  more  elders  together,  and  entertain 
the  stranger  in  the  halls  and  do  fair  sac- 
rifice to  the  gods,  and  thereafter  we  will 
69 


likewise  bethink  us  of  the  convoy,  that 
so  without  pain  or  grief  yonder  stranger 
may  by  our  convoy  reach  his  own  coun- 
try speedily  and  with  joy,  even  though 
he  be  from  very  far  away.  So  shall  he 
suffer  no  hurt  or  harm  in  mid  passage, 
ere  he  set  foot  on  his  own  land ;  but 
thereafter  he  shall  endure  such  things  as 
Fate  and  the  stern  spinning  women  drew 
off  the  spindles  for  him  at  his  birth  when 
his  mother  bare  him.  But  if  he  is  some 
deathless  god  come  down  from  heaven, 
then  do  the  gods  herein  imagine  some 
new  device  against  us.  For  always 
heretofore  the  gods  appear  manifest 
amongst  us,  whensoever  we  offer  glo- 
rious hecatombs,  and  they  feast  by  our 
side,  sitting  at  the  same  board  ;  yea,  and 
even  if  a  wayfarer  going  all  alone  has 
met  with  them,  they  use  no  disguise, 
since  we  are  near  of  kin  to  them,  even 
as  are  the  Cyclopes  and  the  wild  tribes 
of  the  Giants." 

And  Odysseus  of  many  counsels 
answered  him,  saying  :  "  Alcinous,  that 
thought  be  far  from  thee  !  for  I  bear  no 
likeness  either  in  form  or  fashion  to  the 


deathless  gods,  who  keep  wide  heaven, 
but  to  men  that  die.  Whomsoever  ye 
know  of  human  kind  the  heaviest  laden 
with  sorrow,  to  them  might  I  liken 
myself  in  my  griefs.  Yea,  and  I  might 
tell  of  yet  other  woes,  even  the  long  tale 
of  toil  that  by  the  gods'  will  I  endured. 
But  as  for  me,  suffer  me  to  sup,  afflicted 
as  I  am ;  for  nought  is  there  more 
shameless  than  a  ravening  belly,  which 
biddeth  a  man  perforce  be  mindful  of 
him,  though  one  be  worn  and  sorrowful 
in  spirit,  even  as  I  have  sorrow  of 
heart ;  yet  evermore  he  biddeth  me  eat 
and  drink  and  maketh  me  utterly  to  for- 
get all  my  sufferings,  and  commandeth 
me  to  take  my  fill.  But  do  ye  bestir 
you  at  the  breaking  of  the  day,  that  so 
ye  may  set  me,  hapless  as  I  am,  upon 
my  country's  soil,  albeit  after  much 
suffering.  Ah,  and  may  life  leave  me 
when  I  have  had  sight  of  mine  own 
possessions,  my  thralls,  and  my  dwelling 
that  is  great  and  high  !  " 

So    spake    he,  and   they   all    assented 
thereto,  and  bade  send  the   stranger  on 
his  way,  for  that  he  had  spoken   aright. 
71 


Now  when  they  had  poured  forth  and 
had  drunken  to  their  hearts'  content, 
they  went  each  one  to  his  house  to  lay 
them  to  rest.  But  goodly  Odysseus 
was  left  behind  in  the  hall,  and  by  him 
sat  Arete  and  godlike  Alcinous ;  and  the 
maids  cleared  away  the  furniture  of  the 
feast  j  and  white-armed  Arete  first  spake 
among  them.  For  she  knew  the  mantle 
and  the  doublet,  when  she  saw  the 
goodly  raiment  that  she  herself  had 
wrought  with  the  women  her  hand- 
maids. So  she  uttered  her  voice  and 
spake  to  him  winged  words : 

"  Sir,  I  am  bold  to  ask  thee  first  of 
this.  Who  art  thou  of  the  sons  of 
men,  and  whence  ?  Who  gave  thee 
this  raiment  ?  Didst  thou  not  say  in- 
deed that  thou  earnest  hither  wandering 
over  the  deep  ?  " 


IX. 


THE   STORY   OF   ODYSSEUS 

Then  Odysseus  of  many  counsels 
answered  her,  and  said  :  "  'T  is  hard,  O 
queen,  to  tell  my  griefs  from  end  to  end, 
for  that  the  gods  of  heaven  have  given 
me  griefs  in  plenty.  But  this  vi^ill  I  de- 
clare to  thee,  whereof  thou  dost  question 
and  inquire.  There  is  an  isle,  Ogygia, 
73 


that  lies  far  off  in  the  sea ;  there  dwells 
the  daughter  of  Atlas,  crafty  Calypso, 
of  the  braided  tresses,  an  awful  goddess, 
nor  is  any  either  of  gods  or  mortals  con- 
versant with  her.  Howbeit,  some  god 
brought  me  to  her  hearth,  wretched  man 
that  I  am,  all  alone,  for  that  Zeus  with 
white  bolt  crushed  my  swift  ship  and 
cleft  it  in  the  midst  of  the  wine-dark 
deep.  There  all  the  rest  of  my  good 
company  was  lost,  but  I  clung  with  fast 
embrace  about  the  keel  of  the  curved 
ship,  and  so  was  I  borne  for  nine  whole 
days. 

"  And  on  the  tenth  dark  night  the 
gods  brought  me  nigh  the  isle  Ogygia, 
where  Calypso  of  the  braided  tresses 
dwells,  an  awful  goddess.  She  took  me 
in,  and  with  all  care  she  cherished  me 
and  gave  me  sustenance,  and  said  that 
she  would  make  me  to  know  not  death 
nor  age  for  all  my  days ;  but  never  did 
she  win  my  heart  within  me.  There  I 
abode  for  seven  years  continually,  and 
watered  with  my  tears  the  imperishable 
raiment  that  Calypso  gave  me. 

"  But  when  the  eighth  year  came 
74 


round  in  his  course,  then  at  last  she 
urged  and  bade  me  to  be  gone,  by  rea- 
son of  a  message  from  Zeus,  or  it 
may  be  that  her  own  mind  was  turned. 
So  she  sent  me  forth  on  a  well-bound 
raft,  and  gave  me  plenteous  store, 
bread  and  sweet  wine,  and  she  clad 
me  in  imperishable  raiment,  and  sent 
forth  a  warm  and  gentle  wind  to 
blow. 

"  For  ten  days  and  seven  I  sailed, 
traversing  the  deep,  and  on  the  eight- 
eenth day  the  shadowy  hills  of  your 
land  showed  in  sight,  and  my  heart  was 
glad,  —  wretched  that  I  was  —  for  surely 
I  was  still  to  be  the  mate  of  much  sor- 
row. For  Poseidon,  shaker  of  the  earth, 
stirred  up  the  same,  who  roused  against 
me  the  winds  and  stopped  my  way, 
and  made  a  wondrous  sea  to  swell, 
nor  did  the  wave  suffer  me  to  be  borne 
upon  my  raft,  as  I  made  ceaseless 
moan. 

"  Thus  the  storm  winds  shattered 
the  raft,  but  as  for  me  I  cleft  my  way 
through  the  gulf  yonder,  till  the  wind 
bare  and  the    water    brought    me    nigh 

75 


your  coast.  Then  as  I  strove  to  land 
upon  the  shore,  the  wave  had  over- 
whelmed me,  dashing  me  against  the 
great  rocks  and  a  desolate  place,  but 
at  length  I  gave  way  and  swam  back, 
till  I  came  to  the  river,  where  the  place 
seemed  best  in  mine  eyes,  smooth  of 
rocks,  and  withal  there  was  a  shelter 
from  the  wind.  And  as  I  came  out  I 
sank  down,  gathering  to  me  my  spirit, 
and  immortal  night  came  on. 

"  Then  I  gat  me  forth  and  away  from 
the  heaven-fed  river,  and  laid  me  to  sleep 
in  the  bushes  and  strewed  leaves  about 
me,  and  the  god  shed  over  me  infinite 
sleep.  There  among  the  leaves  I  slept, 
stricken  at  heart,  all  the  night  long,  even 
till  the  morning  and  mid-day.  And  the 
sun  sank  when  sweet  sleep  let  me  free. 
And  I  was  aware  of  the  company  of  thy 
daughter  disporting  them  upon  the  sand, 
and  there  was  she  in  the  midst  of  them 
like  unto  the  goddesses.  To  her  I  made 
my  supplication,  and  she  showed  no  lack 
of  a  good  understanding,  behaving  so  as 
thou  couldst  not  hope  for  in  chancing 
upon   one  so  young ;     for   the   younger 

^6 


folk  lack  wisdom  always.  She  gave  me 
bread  enough  and  red  wine,  and  let 
wash  me  in  the  river  and  bestowed  on 
me  these  garments.  Herein,  albeit  in 
sore  distress,  have  I  told  thee  all  the 
truth." 

And  Alcinous  answered  again,  and 
spake  saying :  "  Sir,  surely  this  was  no 
right  thought  of  my  daughter,  in  that 
she  brought  thee  not  to  our  house  with 
the  women  her  handmaids,  though  thou 
didst  first  entreat  her  grace." 

And  Odysseus  of  many  counsels 
answered,  and  said  unto  him :  "  My 
lord,  chide  not,  I  pray  thee,  for  this  the 
blameless  maiden.  For  indeed  she  bade 
me  follow  with  her  company,  but  I 
would  not  for  fear  and  very  shame, 
lest  perchance  thine  heart  might  be 
clouded  at  the  sight ;  for  a  jealous  race 
upon  the  earth  are  we,  the  tribes  of 
men." 

And  Alcinous  answered  yet  again,  and 
spake  saying :  "  Sir,  my  heart  within  me 
is  not  of  such  temper  as  to  have  been 
wroth  without  a  cause :  due  measure  in 
all  things  is  best.  Would  to  father 
17 


Zeus,  and  Athene,  and  Apollo,  would 
that  so  goodly  a  man  as  thou  art,  and 
like-minded  with  me,  thou  wouldst  wed 
my  daughter,  and  be  called  my  son,  here 
abiding  :  so  would  I  give  thee  house  and 
wealth,  if  thou  wouldst  stay  of  thine  own 
will  :  but  against  thy  will  shall  none  of 
the  Phaeacians  keep  thee  :  never  be  this 
well-pleasing  in  the  eyes  of  Zeus ! 
And  now  I  ordain  an  escort  for  thee  on 
a  certain  day,  that  thou  mayst  surely 
know,  and  that  day  the  morrow.  Then 
shalt  thou  lay  thee  down  overcome  by 
sleep,  and  they  the  while  shall  smite  the 
calm  waters,  till  thou  come  to  thy  country 
and  thy  house,  and  whatsoever  place  is 
dear  to  thee,  even  though  it  be  much 
farther  than  Euboea,  which  certain  of  our 
men  say  is  the  farthest  of  lands,  they 
who  saw  it,  when  they  carried  Rhada- 
manthus  of  the  fair  hair,  to  visit  Tityos, 
son  of  Gaia.  Even  thither  they  went, 
and  accomplished  the  journey  on  the 
self-same  day  and  won  home  again,  and 
were  not  weary.  And  now  shalt  thou 
know  for  thyself  how  far  my  ships  are 
the  best,  and  how  my  young  men  excel 
78 


at  tossing  the  salt  water  with  the  oar- 
blade." 

So  spake  he,  and  the  steadfast  goodly 
Odysseus  rejoiced ;  and  then  he  uttered 
a  word  in  prayer,  and  called  aloud  to 
Zeus  :  "  Father  Zeus,  oh  that  Alcinous 
may  fulfil  all  that  he  hath  said,  so  may 
his  fame  never  be  quenched  upon  the 
earth,  the  grain-giver,  and  I  should  come 
to  mine  own  land  !  " 

Thus  they  spake  one  to  the  other. 
And  white-armed  Arete  bade  her  hand- 
maids set  out  bedsteads  beneath  the 
gallery,  and  cast  fair  purple  blankets 
over  them,  and  spread  coverlets  above, 
and  thereon  lay  thick  mantles  to  be  a 
clothing  over  all.  So  they  went  from 
the  hall  with  torch  in  hand.  But  when 
they  had  busied  them  and  spread  the 
good  bedstead,  they  stood  by  Odysseus 
and  called  unto  him,  saying : 

*'  Up  now,  stranger,  and  get  thee  to 
sleep,  thy  bed  is  made." 

So  spake  they,  and  it  seemed  to  him 
that  rest  was  wondrous  good.  So  he 
slept  there,  the  steadfast  goodly  Odys- 
seus, on  the  jointed    bedstead,    beneath 

79 


the  echoing  gallery.  But  Alcinous  laid 
him  down  in  the  innermost  chamber  of 
the  high  house,  and  by  him  the  lady  his 
wife  arrayed  bedstead  and  bedding. 


80 


X. 

THE    GAMES   OF    THE    PHJEA- 

CIANS 


Now  when  early  Dawn  shone  forth, 
the  rosy-fingered,  then  the  mighty  king 
Alcinous  gat  him  up  from  his  bed  ;  and 
Odysseus,  of  the  seed  of  Zeus,  likewise 
uprose,  the  waster  of  cities.  And  the 
mighty  king  Alcinous  led  the  way  to 
8i 


the  assembly  place  of  the  Phaeacians, 
which  they  had  stablished  hard  by  the 
ships.  So  when  they  had  come  thither, 
and  sat  them  down  on  the  polished 
stones  close  by  each  other,  Pallas  Athene 
went  on  her  way  through  the  town,  in 
the  semblance  of  the  herald  of  wise 
Alcinous,  devising  a  return  for  the 
great-hearted  Odysseus.  Then  standing 
by  each  man  she  spake,  saying : 

"  Hither  now  get  ye  to  the  assembly, 
ye  captains  and  counsellors  of  the  Phaea- 
cians,  that  ye  may  learn  concerning  the 
stranger,  who  hath  lately  come  to  the 
palace  of  wise  Alcinous,  in  his  wander- 
ings over  the  deep,  and  his  form  is  like 
the  deathless  gods." 

Therewith  she  aroused  the  spirit  and 
desire  of  each  one,  and  speedily  the 
meeting-places  and  seats  were  filled  with 
men  that  came  to  the  gathering :  yea, 
and  many  an  one  marvelled  at  the  sight 
of  the  wise  son  of  Laertes,  for  wondrous 
was  the  grace  Athene  poured  upon  his 
head  and  shoulders,  and  she  made  him 
greater  and  more  mighty  to  behold,  that 
he  might  win  love  and  worship  and  hon- 
82 


our  among  all  the  Phaeacians,  and  that  he 
might  accomplish  many  feats,  wherein 
the  Phaeacians  made  trial  of  Odysseus. 
Now  when  they  were  gathered  and  come 
together,  Alcinous  made  harangue  and 
spake  among  them  : 

"Hearken,  ye  captains  and  counsellors 
of  the  Phaeacians,  and  I  will  say  that 
which  my  spirit  within  me  bids  me  utter. 
This  stranger,  I  know  not  who  he  is, 
hath  come  to  my  house  in  his  wander- 
ing, whether  from  the  men  of  the 
dawning  or  the  westward,  and  he  presses 
for  a  convoy,  and  prays  that  it  be  assured 
to  him.  So  let  us,  as  in  time  past,  speed 
on  the  convoy.  For  never,  nay  never, 
doth  any  man  who  cometh  to  my  house, 
abide  here  long  in  sorrow  for  want  of 
help  upon  his  way.  Nay,  come  let  us 
draw  down  a  black  ship  to  the  fair  salt 
sea,  for  her  first  voyage,  and  let  them 
choose  fifty  and  two  noble  youths 
throughout  the  township,  who  have 
been  proved  heretofore  the  best.  And 
when  ye  have  made  fast  the  oars  upon 
the  benches,  step  all  ashore,  and  there- 
after come  to  our  house,  and  quickly  fall 
83 


to  feasting ;  and  I  will  make  good  pro- 
vision for  all.  To  the  noble  youths  I 
give  this  commandment ;  but  ye  others, 
sceptred  kings,  come  to  my  fair  dwell- 
ing, that  we  may  entertain  the  stranger 
in  the  halls,  and  let  no  man  make  excuse. 
Moreover,  bid  hither  the  divine  minstrel, 
Demodocus,  for  the  god  hath  given 
minstrelsy  to  him  as  to  none  other,  to 
make  men  glad  in  what  way  soever  his 
spirit  stirs  him  to  sing." 

He  spake  and  led  the  way,  and  the 
sceptred  kings  accompanied  him,  while 
the  henchman  went  for  the  divine  min- 
strel. And  chosen  youths,  fifty  and 
two,  departed  at  his  command,  to  the 
shore  of  the  unharvested  sea.  But  after 
they  had  gone  down  to  the  ship  and  to 
the  sea,  first  of  all  they  drew  the  ship 
down  to  the  deep  water,  and  placed  the 
mast  and  sails  in  the  black  ship,  and 
fixed  the  oars  in  the  leathern  loops,  all 
orderly,  and  spread  forth  the  white  sails. 
And  they  moored  her  high  out  in  the 
shore  water,  and  thereafter  went  on 
their  way  to  the  great  palace  of  the  wise 
Alcinous. 

84 


Now  the  galleries  and  the  courts  and 
the  rooms  were  thronged  with  men  that 
came  to  the  gathering,  for  there  were 
many,  young  and  old.  Then  Alcinous 
sacrificed  twelve  sheep  among  them,  and 
eight  boars  with  flashing  tusks,  and  two 
oxen  with  trailing  feet.  These  they 
flayed  and  made  ready,  and  dressed  a 
goodly  feast. 

Then  the  henchman  drew  near,  lead- 
ing with  him  the  beloved  minstrel, 
whom  the  muse  loved  dearly,  and  she 
gave  him  both  good  and  evil ;  of  his 
sight  she  reft  him,  but  granted  him  sweet 
song.  Then  Pontonous,  the  henchman, 
set  for  him  a  high  chair  inlaid  with  sil- 
ver, in  the  midst  of  the  guests,  leaning 
it  against  the  tall  pillar,  and  he  hung 
the  loud  lyre  on  a  pin,  close  above  his 
head,  and  showed  him  how  to  lay  his 
hands  on  it.  And  close  by  him  he 
placed  a  basket,  and  a  fair  table,  and  a 
goblet  of  wine  by  his  side,  to  drink 
when  his  spirit  bade  him.  So  they 
stretched  forth  their  hands  upon  the 
good  cheer  spread  before  them.  But 
after  they  had  put  from  them  the  desire 

85 


of  meat  and  drink,  the  Muse  stirred  the 
minstrel  to  sing  the  songs  of  famous 
men,  even  that  lay  whereof  the  fame  had 
then  reached  the  wide  heaven,  namely, 
the  quarrel  between  Odysseus  and 
Achilles,  son  of  Peleus  :  how  once  on  a 
time  they  contended  in  fierce  words  at 
a  rich  festival  of  the  gods,  but  Aga- 
memnon, king  of  men,  was  inly  glad  when 
the  noblest  of  Achaeans  fell  at  variance. 
For  so  Phoebus  Apollo  in  his  soothsay- 
ing had  told  him  that  it  must  be,  in 
goodly  Pytho,  what  time  he  crossed  the 
threshold  of  stone,  to  seek  to  the  oracle. 
For  in  those  days  the  first  wave  of  woe 
was  rolling  on  Trojans  and  Danaans 
through  the  counsel  of  great  Zeus. 

This  song  it  was  that  the  famous 
minstrel  sang;  but  Odysseus  caught  his 
great  purple  cloak  with  his  stalwart 
hands,  and  drew  it  down  over  his  head, 
and  hid  his  comely  face,  for  he  was 
ashamed  to  shed  tears  beneath  his  brows 
in  presence  of  the  Phsacians.  Yea, 
and  oft  as  the  divine  minstrel  paused  in 
his  song,  Odysseus  would  wipe  away  the 
tears,  and  draw  the  cloak  from  off  his 
86 


head,  and  take  the  two-handled  goblet  and 
pour  forth  before  the  gods.  But  when- 
soever he  began  again,  and  the  chiefs  of 
the  Phaeacians  stirred  him  to  sing,  in 
delight  at  the  lay,  again  would  Odysseus 
cover  up  his  head  and  make  moan. 
Now  none  of  all  the  company  marked 
him  weeping,  but  Alcinous  alone  noted 
it  and  was  ware  thereof  as  he  sat  by 
him  and  heard  him  groaning  heavily. 
And  presently  he  spake  among  the 
Phaeacians,  masters  of  the  oar : 

''  Hearken,  ye  captains  and  counsel- 
lors of  the  Phaeacians,  now  have  our 
souls  been  satisfied  with  the  good  feast, 
and  with  the  lyre,  which  is  the  mate  of 
the  rich  banquet.  Let  us  go  forth  anon, 
and  make  trial  of  divers  games,  that  the 
stranger  may  tell  his  friends,  when  home 
he  returneth,  how  greatly  we  excel  all 
men  in  boxing,  and  wrestling,  and  leap- 
ing, and  speed  of  foot." 

He  spake,  and  led  the  way,  and  they 
went  with  him.  And  the  henchman 
hung  the  loud  lyre  on  the  pin,  and  took 
the  hand  of  Demodocus,  and  led  him 
forth  from  the  hall,  and  guided  him  by 
87 


the  same  way,  whereby  those  others, 
the  chiefs  of  the  Phaeacians,  had  gone 
to  gaze  upon  the  games.  So  they  went 
on  their  way  to  the  place  of  assembly, 
and  with  them  a  great  company  innu- 
merable ;  and  many  a  noble  youth  stood 
up  to  play.  There  rose  Acroneus,  and 
Ocyalus,  and  Elatreus,  and  Nauteus, 
and  Prymneus,  and  Anchialus,  and  Eret- 
meus,  and  Ponteus,  and  Proreus,  Thoon, 
and  Anabesineus,  and  Amphialus,  son  of 
Polyneus,  son  of  Tekton,  and  likewise 
Euryalus,  the  peer  of  murderous  Ares, 
the  son  of  Naubolus,  who  in  face  and 
form  was  the  goodliest  of  all  the  Phaea- 
cians next  to  noble  Laodamas. 

And  there  stood  up  the  three  sons  of 
noble  Alcinous,  Laodamas,  and  Halius, 
and  godlike  Clytoneus.  And  behold, 
these  all  first  tried  the  issue  in  the  foot 
race.  From  the  very  start  they  strained 
at  utmost  speed  :  and  all  together  they 
flew  forward  swiftly,  raising  the  dust 
along  the  plain.  And  noble  Clytoneus 
was  far  the  swiftest  of  them  all  in  run- 
ning, and  by  the  length  of  the  furrow 
that  mules  cleave  in  a  fallow  field,  so 
88 


far  did  he  shoot  to  the  front,  and  came  to 
the  crowd  by  the  lists,  while  those  others 
were  left  behind.  Then  they  made  trial 
of  strong  wrestling,  and  here  in  turn 
Euryalus  excelled  all  the  best.  And  in 
leaping  Amphialus  was  far  the  foremost, 
and  Elatreus  in  weight-throwing,  and 
in  boxing  Laodamas,  the  good  son  of 
Alcinous.  Now  when  they  had  all  taken 
their  pleasure  in  the  games,  Laodamas, 
son  of  Alcinous,  spake  among  them  : 

"  Come,  my  friends,  let  us  ask  the 
stranger  whether  he  is  skilled  or  prac- 
tised in  any  sport.  Ill-fashioned,  at 
least,  he  is  not  in  his  thighs  and  sinewy 
legs  and  hands  withal,  and  his  stalwart 
neck  and  mighty  strength  :  yea  and  he 
lacks  not  youth,  but  is  crushed  by  many 
troubles.  For  I  tell  thee  there  is  nought 
else  worse  than  the  sea  to  confound  a 
man,  how  hardy  soever  he  may  be." 

And  Euryalus  in  turn  made  answer, 
and  said  :  "  Laodamas,  verily  thou  hast 
spoken  this  word  in  season.  Go  now 
thyself  and  challenge  him,  and  declare 
thy  saying." 

Now  when  the  good  son  of  Alcinous 
89 


heard  this,  he  went  and  stood  in  the 
midst,  and  spake  unto  Odysseus  :  "  Come, 
do  thou  too,  father  and  stranger,  try  thy 
skill  in  the  sports,  if  haply  thou  art 
practised  in  any  j  and  thou  art  like  to 
have  knowledge  of  games,  for  there  is 
no  greater  glory  for  a  man  while  yet  he 
lives,  than  that  which  he  achieves  by 
hand  and  foot.  Come,  then,  make  es- 
say, and  cast  away  care  from  thy  soul : 
thy  journey  shall  not  now  be  long  delayed ; 
lo,  thy  ship  is  even  now  drawn  down  to 
the  sea,  and  the  men  of  thy  company  are 
ready." 

And  Odysseus  of  many  counsels 
answered  him,  saying :  "  Laodamas, 
wherefore  do  ye  mock  me,  requiring 
this  thing  of  me  ?  Sorrow  is  far  nearer 
my  heart  than  sports,  for  much  have  I 
endured  and  laboured  sorely  in  time 
past,  and  now  I  sit  in  this  your  gather- 
ing, craving  my  return,  and  making  my 
prayer  to  the  king  and  all  the  people," 

And  Euryalus  answered,  and  rebuked 

him  to  his   face  :     "  No  truly,  stranger, 

nor  do  I  think  thee  at  all  like  one  that 

is    skilled   in   games,  whereof  there  are 

90 


many  among  men,  rather  art  thou  such 
an  one  as  comes  and  goes  in  a  benched 
ship,  a  master  of  sailors  that  are  mer- 
chantmen, one  with  a  memory  for  his 
freight,  or  that  hath  the  charge  of  a  cargo 
homeward  bound,  and  of  greedily  gotten 
gains ;  thou  seemest  not  a  man  of  thy 
hands." 

Then  Odysseus  of  many  counsels 
looked  fiercely  on  him  and  said  :  "  Stran- 
ger, thou  hast  not  spoken  well ;  thou 
art  like  a  man  presumptuous.  So  true 
it  is  that  the  gods  do  not  give  every 
gracious  gift  to  all,  neither  shapeliness, 
nor  wisdom,  nor  skilled  speech.  For 
one  man  is  feebler  than  another  in  pres- 
ence, yet  the  god  crowns  his  words  with 
beauty,  and  men  behold  him  and  rejoice, 
and  his  speech  runs  surely  on  his  way 
with  a  sweet  modesty,  and  he  shines 
forth  among  the  gathering  of  his  people, 
and  as  he  passes  through  the  town  men 
gaze  on  him  as  a  god.  Another  again 
is  like  the  deathless  gods  for  beauty,  but 
his  words  have  no  crown  of  grace  about 
them  ;  even  as  thou  art  in  comeliness 
pre-eminent,  nor   could  a   god    himself 

91 


fashion  thee  for  the  better,  but  in  wit 
thou  art  a  weakling.  Yea,  thou  hast 
stirred  my  spirit  in  my  breast  by  speak- 
ing thus  amiss.  I  am  not  all  unversed 
in  sports,  as  thy  words  go,  but  methinks 
I  was  among  the  foremost  while  as  yet  I 
trusted  in  my  youth  and  my  hands,  but 
now  am  I  holden  in  misery  and  pains : 
for  I  have  endured  much  in  passing 
through  the  wars  of  men  and  the  griev- 
ous waves  of  the  sea.  Yet  even  so,  for 
all  my  affliction,  I  will  essay  the  games, 
for  thy  word  hath  bitten  to  the  quick, 
and  thou  hast  roused  me  with  thy  say- 
ing." 


92 


XL 

ODYSSEUS   SHOWS   HIS 
PROWESS 


He  spake,  and  clad  even  as  he  was  in 
his  mantle  leaped  to  his  feet,  and  caught 
up  a  weight  larger  than  the  rest,  a  huge 
weight  heavier  far  than  those  wherewith 
the  Phaeacians  contended  in  casting. 
With  one  whirl  he  sent  it  from  his  stout 
93 


hand,  and  the  stone  flew  hurtling :  and 
the  Phaeacians,  of  the  long  oars,  those 
mariners  renowned,  crouched  to  earth  be- 
neath the  rushing  of  the  stone.  Beyond  all 
the  marks  it  flew,  so  lightly  it  sped  from 
his  hand,  and  Athene  in  the  fashion  of 
a  man  marked  the  place,  and  spake  and 
hailed  him  : 

"  Yea,  even  a  blind  man,  stranger, 
might  discern  that  token  if  he  groped  for 
it,  for  it  is  in  no  wise  lost  among  the 
throng  of  the  others,  but  is  far  the  first ; 
for  this  bout  then  take  heart :  not  one 
of  the  Phaeacians  shall  attain  thereunto 
or  overpass  it." 

So  spake  she ;  and  the  steadfast  goodly 
Odysseus  rejoiced  and  was  glad,  for  that 
he  saw  a  true  friend  in  the  lists.  Then 
with  a  lighter  heart  he  spake  amid  the 
Phaeacians : 

"  Now  reach  ye  this  throw,  young 
men,  if  ye  may ;  and  soon,  methinks, 
will  I  cast  another  after  it,  as  far  or  yet 
farther.  And  whomsoever  of  the  rest 
his  heart  and  spirit  stir  thereto,  hither 
let  him  come  and  try  the  issue  with  me, 
in  boxing  or  in  wrestling  or  even  in  the 
94 


foot  race,  I  care  not  which,  for  ye  have 
greatly  angered  me  :  let  any  of  all  the 
Phaeacians  come  save  Laodamas  alone, 
for  he  is  mine  host :  who  would  strive 
with  one  that  entreated  him  kindly  ? 
Witless  and  worthless  is  the  man,  whoso 
challengeth  his  host  that  receiveth  him 
in  a  strange  land,  he  doth  but  maim  his 
own  estate.  But  for  the  rest,  I  refuse 
none  and  hold  none  lightly,  but  I  fain 
would  know  and  prove  them  face  to 
face.  For  I  am  no  weakling  in  all 
sports,  even  in  the  feats  of  men.  I 
know  well  how  to  handle  the  polished 
bow,  and  ever  the  first  would  I  be  to 
shoot  and  smite  my  man  in  the  press  of 
foes,  even  though  many  of  my  company 
stood  by,  and  were  aiming  at  the  enemy. 
"  Alone  Philoctetes  in  the  Trojan  land 
surpassed  me  with  the  bow  in  our 
Achaean  archery.  But  I  avow  myself 
far  more  excellent  than  all  besides,  of 
the  mortals  that  are  now  upon  the  earth 
and  live  by  bread.  Yet  with  the  men 
of  old  time  I  would  not  match  me, 
neither  with  Heracles  nor  with  Eurytus 
of  Oechalia,  who  contended  even  with 

95 


the  deathless  gods  for  the  prize  of 
archery.  Wherefore  the  great  Eurytus 
perished  all  too  soon,  nor  did  old  age 
come  on  him  in  his  halls,  for  Apollo 
slew  him  in  his  wrath,  seeing  that  he 
challenged  him  to  shoot  a  match.  And 
with  the  spear  I  can  throw  further  than 
any  other  man  can  shoot  an  arrow. 
Only  I  doubt  that  in  the  foot  race  some 
of  the  Phaeacians  may  outstrip  me,  for  I 
have  been  shamefully  broken  in  many 
waters,  seeing  that  there  was  no  con- 
tinual sustenance  on  board ;  wherefore 
my  knees  are  loosened." 

So  spake  he  and  all  kept  silence ;  and 
Alcinous  alone  answered  him,  saying  : 

"  Stranger,  forasmuch  as  these  thy 
words  are  not  ill-taken  in  our  gathering, 
but  thou  wouldest  fain  show  forth  the 
valour  which  keeps  thee  company,  being 
angry  that  yonder  man  stood  by  thee  in 
the  lists,  and  taunted  thee,  in  such  sort 
as  no  mortal  would  speak  lightly  of 
thine  excellence,  who  had  knowledge 
of  sound  words ;  nay  now,  mark  my 
speech  ;  so  shalt  thou  have  somewhat  to 
tell  another  hero,  when  with  thy  wife 
96 


and  children  thou  suppest  in  thy  halls, 
and  recallest  our  prowess,  what  deeds 
Zeus  bestoweth  even  upon  us  from  our 
fathers'  days  even  until  now.  For  we 
are  no  perfect  boxers,  nor  wrestlers,  but 
speedy  runners,  and  the  best  of  seamen  ; 
and  dear  to  us  ever  is  the  banquet,  and 
the  harp,  and  the  dance,  and  changes 
of  raiment,  and  the  warm  bath,  and  love, 
and  sleep.  Lo,  now  arise,  ye  dancers 
of  the  Phaeacians,  the  best  in  the  land, 
and  make  sport,  that  so  the  stranger  may 
tell  his  friends,  when  he  returneth  home, 
how  far  we  surpass  all  men  besides  in 
seamanship,  and  speed  of  foot,  and  in 
the  dance  and  song.  And  let  one  go 
quickly,  and  fetch  for  Demodocus  the 
loud  lyre  which  is  lying  somewhere  in 
our  halls." 

So  spake  Alcinous  the  godlike,  and 
the  henchman  rose  to  bear  the  hollow 
lyre  from  the  king's  palace.  Then  stood 
up  nine  chosen  men  in  all,  the  judges  of 
the  people,  who  were  wont  to  order  all 
things  in  the  lists  aright.  So  they  lev- 
elled the  place  for  the  dance,  and  made 
a  fair  ring  and  a  wide.  And  the  hench- 
97 


man  drew  near  bearing  the  loud  lyre  to 
Demodocus,  who  gat  him  into  the  midst, 
and  round  him  stood  boys  in  their  first 
bloom,  skilled  in  the  dance,  and  they 
smote  the  good  floor  with  their  feet. 
And  Odysseus  gazed  at  the  twinklings 
of  the  feet,  and  marvelled  in  spirit. 

Now  as  the  minstrel  touched  the  lyre, 
he  lifted  up  his  voice  in  sweet  song,  and 
he  sang  of  the  love  of  Ares  and  Aphro- 
dite, of  the  fair  crown,  how  at  the  first 
they  lay  together  in  the  house  of  He- 
phaestus privily :  and  Ares  gave  her 
many  gifts,  and  dishonoured  the  mar- 
riage bed  of  the  lord  Hephaestus.  And 
anon  there  came  to  him  one  to  report 
the  thing,  even  Helios,  that  had  seen 
them  at  their  pastime. 

Now  when  Hephaestus  heard  the  bit- 
ter tidings,  he  went  his  way  to  the  forge, 
devising  evil  in  the  deep  of  his  heart, 
and  set  the  great  anvil  on  the  stithy, 
and  wrought  fetters  that  none  might 
snap  or  loosen,  that  the  lovers  might 
there  unmoveably  remain.  Now  when 
he  had  forged  the  crafty  net  in  his  anger 
against  Ares,  he  went  on  his  way  to 
98 


the  chamber  where  his  marriage  bed  was 
set  out,  and  strewed  his  snares  all  about 
the  posts  of  the  bed,  and  many  too 
were  hung  aloft  from  the  main  beam, 
subtle  as  spiders'  webs,  so  that  none 
might  see  them,  even  of  the  blessed 
gods :  so  cunningly  were  they  forged. 

Now  after  he  had  done  winding 
the  snare  about  the  bed,  he  made  as 
though  he  would  go  to  Lemnos,  that 
stablished  castle,  and  this  was  far  the 
dearest  of  all  lands  in  his  sight.  But 
Ares  of  the  golden  rein  kept  no  blind 
watch,  what  time  he  saw  Hephaestus, 
the  famed  craftsman,  depart  afar.  So  he 
went  on  his  way  to  the  house  of  re- 
nowned Hephaestus,  eager  for  the  love 
of  crowned  Cytherea.  Now  she  was 
but  newly  come  from  her  sire,  the 
mighty  Cronion,  and  as  it  chanced  had 
sat  her  down ;  and  Ares  entered  the 
house,  and  clasped  her  hand,  and  spake, 
and  hailed  her : 

"  Come,  my  beloved,  let  us  to  bed, 
and  take  our  pleasure  of  love,  for  He- 
phaestus is  no  longer  among  his  own 
people ;  methinks  he  is  already  gone  to 

99 


Lemnos,  to  the  Sintians,  men  of  savage 
speech." 

So  spake  he,  and  a  glad  thing  it  seemed 
to  her  to  lie  with  him.  So  they  twain 
went  to  the  couch,  and  laid  them  to 
sleep,  and  around  them  clung  the  cun- 
ning bonds  of  skilled  Hephaestus,  so  that 
they  could  not  move  nor  raise  a  limb. 
Then  at  the  last  they  knew  it,  when 
there  was  no  way  to  flee.  Now 
the  famous  god  of  the  strong  arms 
drew  near  to  them,  having  turned  him 
back  ere  he  reached  the  land  of  Lemnos. 
For  Helios  kept  watch,  and  told  him 
all.  So  heavy  at  heart  he  went  his  way 
to  his  house,  and  stood  at  the  entering 
in  of  the  gate,  and  wild  rage  gat  hold 
of  him,  and  he  cried  terribly,  and  shouted 
to  all  the  gods  : 

"  Father  Zeus,  and  ye  other  blessed 
gods,  that  live  for  ever,  come  hither, 
that  ye  may  see  a  mirthful  thing  and  a 
cruel,  for  that  Aphrodite,  daughter  of 
Zeus,  ever  dishonours  me  by  reason 
of  my  lameness,  and  sets  her  heart  on 
Ares  the  destroyer,  because  he  is  fair 
and  straight  of  limb,  but  as  for  me,  feeble 
lOO 


was  I  born.  Howbeit,  there  is  none  to 
blame  but  my  father  and  mother, — 
would  they  had  never  begotten  me ! 
But  now  shall  ye  see  where  these  have 
gone  up  into  my  bed,  and  sleep  together 
in  love ;  and  I  am  troubled  at  the  sight. 
Yet,  methinks,  they  will  not  care  to  lie 
thus  even  for  a  little  while  longer,  de- 
spite their  great  love.  Soon  will  they 
have  no  desire  to  sleep  together,  but  the 
snare  and  the  bond  shall  hold  them,  till 
her  sire  give  back  to  me  the  gifts  of 
wooing,  one  and  all,  those  that  I  be- 
stowed upon  him  for  the  hand  of  his 
shameless  girl  j  for  that  his  daughter  is 
fair,  but  without  discretion." 

So  spake  he ;  and  lo,  the  gods  gathered 
together  to  the  house  of  the  brazen  floor. 
Poseidon  came,  the  girdler  of  the  earth, 
and  Hermes  came,  the  bringer  of  luck, 
and  prince  Apollo  came,  the  archer.  But 
the  lady  goddesses  abode  each  within  her 
house  for  shame.  So  the  gods,  the 
givers  of  good  things,  stood  in  the  porch  : 
and  laughter  unquenchable  arose  among 
the  blessed  gods,  as  they  beheld  the 
sleight  of  cunning  Hephaestus.  And 
lOI 


thus  would  one  speak,  looking  to  his 
neighbour : 

"  111  deed,  ill  speed !  The  slow 
catcheth  the  swift !  Lo,  how  Hephaes- 
tus, slow  as  he  is,  hath  overtaken  Ares, 
albeit  he  is  the  swiftest  of  the  gods  that 
hold  Olympus,  by  his  craft  hath  he 
taken  him  despite  his  lameness ;  where- 
fore surely  Ares  oweth  the  fine  of  the 
adulterer." 

Thus  they  spake  one  to  the  other. 
But  the  lord  Apollo,  son  of  Zeus,  spake 
to  Hermes  : 

"  Hermes,  son  of  Zeus,  messenger 
and  giver  of  good  things,  wouldst  thou 
be  fain,  ay,  pressed  by  strong  bonds 
though  it  might  be,  to  lie  on  the  couch 
by  golden  Aphrodite  ?  " 

Then  the  messenger,  the  slayer  of 
Argos,  answered  him :  "  I  would  that 
this  might  be,  Apollo,  my  prince  of 
archery  !  So  might  thrice  as  many  bonds 
innumerable  encompass  me  about,  and 
all  ye  gods  be  looking  on  and  all  the 
goddesses,  yet  would  I  lie  by  golden 
Aphrodite." 

So  spake  he,  and  laughter  rose  among 
I02 


the  deathless  gods.  Howbeit  Poseidon 
laughed  not,  but  was  instant  with  He- 
phaestus, the  renowned  artificer,  to  loose 
the  bonds  of  Ares :  and  he  uttered  his 
voice,  and  spake  to  him  winged  words : 

"  Loose  him,  I  pray  thee,  and  I 
promise  even  as  thou  biddest  me,  that 
he  shall  himself  pay  all  fair  forfeit  in  the 
presence  of  the  deathless  gods." 

Then  the  famous  god  of  the  strong 
arms  answered  him  :  "  Require  not 
this  of  me,  Poseidon,  girdler  of  the  earth. 
Evil  are  evil  folk's  pledges  to  hold. 
How  could  I  keep  thee  bound  among  the 
deathless  gods,  if  Ares  were  to  depart, 
avoiding  the  debt  and  the  bond  ? " 

Then  Poseidon  answered  him,  shaker 
of  the  earth  :  "  Hephaestus,  even  if  Ares 
avoid  the  debt  and  flee  away,  I  myself 
will  pay  thee  all." 

Then  the  famous  god  of  the  strong 
arms  answered  him :  "  It  may  not  be 
that  I  should  say  thee  nay,  neither  is  it 
meet." 

Therewith  the  mighty  Hephaestus 
loosed  the  bonds,  and  the  twain,  when 
they  were  freed  from  that  strong  bond, 
103 


sprang  up  straightway,  and  departed,  he 
to  Thrace,  but  laughter-loving  Aphrodite 
went  to  Paphos  of  Cyprus,  where  is  her 
precinct  and  fragrant  altar.  There  the 
Graces  bathed  and  anointed  her  with 
oil  imperishable,  such  as  is  laid  upon  the 
everlasting  gods.  And  they  clad  her  in 
lovely  raiment,  a  wonder  to  see. 

This  was  the  song  the  famous  min- 
strel sang  ;  and  Odysseus  listened  and 
was  glad  at  heart,  and  likewise  did  the 
Phasacians,  of  the  long  oars,  those 
mariners  renowned. 


104 


XII. 


THE   GIFTS    OF   ODYSSEUS 


Then  Alcinous  bade  Halius  and 
Laodamas  dance  alone,  for  none  ever 
contended  with  them.  So  when  they  had 
taken  in  their  hands  the  goodly  ball  of 
purple  hue,  that  cunning  Polybus  had 
wrought  for  them,  the  one  would  bend 
backwards,  and  throw  it  towards  the 
105 


shadowy  clouds  ;  and  the  other  would 
leap  upward  from  the  earth,  and  catch  it 
lightly  in  his  turn,  before  his  feet  touched 
the  ground.  Now  after  they  had  made 
trial  of  throwing  the  ball  straight  up, 
the  twain  set  to  dance  upon  the  boun- 
teous earth,  tossing  the  ball  from  hand 
to  hand,  and  the  other  youths  stood  by 
the  lists  and  beat  time,  and  a  great  din 
uprose. 

Then  it  was  that  goodly  Odysseus 
spake  unto  Alcinous ;  "  My  lord  Alcin- 
ous,  most  notable  among  all  the  people, 
thou  didst  boast  thy  dancers  to  be  the 
best  in  the  world,  and  lo,  thy  words  are 
fulfilled ;  I  wonder  as  I  look  on  them." 

So  spake  he,  and  the  mighty  king 
Alcinous  rejoiced  and  spake  at  once 
among  the  Phaeacians,  masters  of  the 
oar : 

"  Hearken  ye,  captains  and  counsel- 
lors of  the  Phaeacians,  this  stranger 
seems  to  me  a  wise  man  enough.  Come 
then,  let  us  give  him  a  stranger's  gift,  as 
is  meet.  Behold,  there  are  twelve  glo- 
rious princes  who  rule  among  this  people 
and  bear  sway,  and  I  myself  am  the 
1 06 


thirteenth.  Now  each  man  among  you 
bring  a  fresh  robe  and  a  doublet,  and  a 
talent  of  fine  gold,  and  let  us  speedily 
carry  all  these  gifts  together,  that  the 
stranger  may  take  them  in  his  hands, 
and  go  to  supper  with  a  glad  heart.  As 
for  Euryalus  let  him  yield  amends  to  the 
man  himself  with  soft  speech  and  with 
a  gift,  for  his  was  no  gentle  saying." 

So  spake  he,  and  they  all  assented 
thereto,  and  would  have  it  so.  And 
each  one  sent  forth  his  henchman  to 
fetch  his  gift,  and  Euryalus  answered 
the  king  and  spake,  saying  : 

"  My  lord  Alcinous,  most  notable 
among  all  the  people,  I  will  make  atone- 
ment to  thy  guest  according  to  thy 
word.  I  will  give  him  a  hanger  all 
of  bronze,  with  a  silver  hilt  thereto,  and 
a  sheath  of  fresh-sawn  ivory  covers  it 
about,  and  it  shall  be  to  him  a  thing  of 
price." 

Therewith  he  put  into  his  hands  the 
hanger  dight  with  silver,  and  uttering 
his  voice  spake  to  him  winged  words : 
*'  Hail,  stranger  and  father ;  and  if  aught 
grievous  hath  been  spoken,  may  the 
107 


storm-winds  soon  snatch  and  bear  it 
away.  But  may  the  gods  grant  thee  to 
see  thy  wife  and  to  come  to  thine  own 
country,  for  all  too  long  hast  thou  en- 
dured affliction  away  from  thy  friends." 

And  Odysseus  of  many  counsels 
answered  him  saying  :  "  Thou  too,  my 
friend,  all  hail ;  and  may  the  gods 
vouchsafe  thee  happiness,  and  mayst 
thou  never  miss  this  sword  which  thou 
hast  given  me,  thou  that  with  soft  speech 
hast  yielded  me  amends." 

He  spake  and  hung  about  his  shoul- 
ders the  silver-studded  sword.  And  the 
sun  sank,  and  the  noble  gifts  were 
brought  him.  Then  the  proud  hench- 
men bare  them  to  the  palace  of  Alcinous, 
and  the  sons  of  noble  Alcinous  took 
the  fair  gifts,  and  set  them  by  their 
reverend  mother.  And  the  mighty  king 
Alcinous  led  the  way,  and  they  came  in 
and  sat  them  down  on  the  high  seats. 
And  the  mighty  Alcinous  spake  unto 
Arete : 

"  Bring  me  hither,  my  lady,  a  choice 
coffer,  the  best  thou  hast,  and  thyself 
place  therein  a  fresh  robe  and  a  doublet, 
1 08 


and  heat  for  our  guest  a  cauldron  on  the 
fire,  and  warm  water,  that  after  the 
bath  the  stranger  may  see  all  the  gifts 
duly  arrayed  which  the  noble  Phaeacians 
bare  hither,  and  that  he  may  have  joy  in 
the  feast,  and  in  hearing  the  song  of 
the  minstrelsy.  Also  I  will  give  him  a 
beautiful  golden  chalice  of  mine  own, 
that  he  may  be  mindful  of  me  all  the 
days  of  his  life  when  he  poureth  the 
drink-offering  to  Zeus  and  to  the  other 
gods." 

So    spake    he,    and    Arete    bade    her 
handmaids   to  set  a  great  cauldron   on 
the    fire    with   what  speed  they    might. 
And  they  set  the  cauldron  for  the  filling 
of   the    bath    on    the    blazing    fire,  and 
poured  water  therein,    and    took   fagots 
and  kindled  them  beneath.     So  the  fire 
began  to  circle   round  the  belly  of   the 
cauldron,    and     the    water    waxed     hot. 
Meanwhile  Arete  brought  forth  for  her 
guest     the     beautiful     coffer    from     the 
treasure    chamber,    and    bestowed    fair 
gifts    therein,  raiment    and    gold,  which 
the    Phaeacians   gave    him.      And    with 
her  own  hands  she  placed  therein  a  robe 
109 


and  goodly  doublet,  and  uttering  her 
voice  spake  to  him  winged  words : 

"  Do  thou  now  look  to  the  lid,  and 
quickly  tie  the  knot,  lest  any  man  spoil 
thy  goods  by  the  way,  when  presently 
thou  fallest  on  sweet  sleep  travelling  in 
thy  black  ship." 

Now  when  the  steadfast  goodly  Odys- 
seus heard  this  saying,  forthwith  he 
fixed  on  the  lid,  and  quickly  tied  the  curi- 
ous knot,  which  the  lady  Circe  on  a  time 
had  taught  him.  Then  straightway  the 
housewife  bade  him  go  to  the  bath  and 
bathe  him ;  and  he  saw  the  warm  water 
and  was  glad,  for  he  was  not  wont  to  be 
so  cared  for,  from  the  day  that  he  left 
the  house  of  fair-tressed  Calypso,  but 
all  that  while  he  had  comfort  continually 
as  a  god. 

Now  after  the  maids  had  bathed  him 
and  anointed  him  with  olive  oil,  and 
had  cast  a  fair  mantle  and  a  doublet 
upon  him,  he  stept  forth  from  the  bath, 
and  went  to  be  with  the  chiefs  at  their 
wine.  And  Nausicaa,  dowered  with 
beauty  by  the  gods,  stood  by  the  door- 
post of  the  well-builded  hall,  and  mar- 
IIO 


veiled  at  Odysseus,  beholding  him 
before  her  eyes,  and  she  uttered  her  voice 
and  spake  to  him  winged  words  : 

"  Farewell,  stranger,  and  even  in  thine 
own  country  bethink  thee  of  me  upon  a 
time,  for  that  to  me  first  thou  owest  the 
ransom  of  life." 

And  Odysseus  of  many  counsels  an- 
swered her  saying  :  "  Nausicaa,  daughter 
of  great-hearted  Alcinous,  yea,  may 
Zeus,  the  thunderer,  the  lord  of  Here, 
grant  me  to  reach  my  home  and  see  the 
day  of  my  returning ;  so  would  I,  even 
there,  do  thee  worship  as  to  a  god,  all 
my  days  for  evermore,  for  thou,  lady, 
hast  given  me  my  life." 

He  spake  and  sat  him  in  the  high 
seat  by  king  Alcinous.  And  now  they 
were  serving  out  the  portions  and  mix- 
ing the  wine.  Then  the  henchman 
drew  nigh  leading  the  sweet  minstrel, 
Demodocus,  that  was  had  in  honour  of 
the  people.  So  he  set  him  in  the  midst 
of  the  feasters,  and  made  him  lean 
against  a  tall  column.  Then  to  the 
henchman  spake  Odysseus  of  many 
counsels,  for  he  had  cut  off  a  portion  of 
II I 


the  chine  of  the  white-toothed  boar, 
whereon  yet  more  was  left,  with  rich 
fat  on  either  side  : 

"  Lo,  henchman,  take  this  mess,  and 
hand  it  to  Demodocus,  that  he  may  eat, 
and  I  will  bid  him  hail,  despite  my 
sorrow.  For  minstrels  from  all  men  on 
earth  get  their  meed  of  honour  and 
worship ;  inasmuch  as  the  Muse  teach- 
eth  them  the  paths  of  song,  and  loveth 
the  tribe  of  minstrels." 

Thus  he  spake,  and  the  henchman 
bare  the  mess,  and  set  it  upon  the  knees 
of  the  lord  Demodocus,  and  he  took  it, 
and  was  glad  at  heart.  Then  they 
stretched  forth  their  hands  upon  the 
good  cheer  set  before  them.  Now 
after  they  had  put  from  them  the  desire 
of  meat  and  drink,  then  Odysseus  of 
many  counsels  spake  to  Demodocus, 
saying : 

"  Demodocus,  I  praise  thee  far  above 
all  mortal  men,  whether  it  be  the  Muse, 
the  daughter  of  Zeus,  that  taught  thee, 
or  even  Apollo,  for  right  duly  dost  thou 
chant  the  faring  of  the  Achaeans,  even 
all  that  they  wrought  and  suffered,  and 
112 


all  their  travail,  as  if,  methinks,  thou 
hadst  been  present,  or  heard  the  tale  from 
another.  Come  now,  change  thy  strain, 
and  sing  of  the  fashioning  of  the  horse 
of  wood,  which  Epeius  made  by  the  aid 
of  Athene,  even  the  guileful  thing,  that 
goodly  Odysseus  led  up  into  the  citadel, 
when  he  had  laden  it  with  the  men  who 
wasted  Ilios.  If  thou  wilt  indeed  re- 
hearse me  this  aright,  so  will  I  be  thy 
witness  among  all  men,  how  the  god  of 
his  grace  hath  given  thee  the  gift  of 
wondrous  song." 

So  spake  he,  and  the  minstrel,  being 
stirred  by  the  god,  began  and  showed 
forth  his  minstrelsy.  .  .  .  But  the  heart 
of  Odysseus  melted,  and  the  tear  wet  his 
cheeks  beneath  the  eyelids.  And  as  a 
woman  throws  herself  wailing  about  her 
dear  lord,  who  hath  fallen  before  his  city 
and  the  host,  warding  from  his  town  and 
his  children  the  pitiless  day ;  and  she 
beholds  him  dying  and  drawing  difficult 
breath,  and  embracing  his  body  wails 
aloud,  while  the  foemen  behind  smite 
her  with  spears  on  back  and  shoulders 
and  lead  her  up  into  bondage,  to  bear 
113 


labour  and  trouble,  and  with  the  most 
pitiful  grief  her  cheeks  are  wasted  ;  even 
so  pitifully  fell  the  tears  beneath  the 
brows  of  Odysseus.  Now  none  of  all 
the  company  marked  him  weeping ;  but 
Alcinous  alone  noted  it,  and  was  ware 
thereof,  as  he  sat  nigh  him  and  heard 
him  groaning  heavily.  And  presently 
he  spake  among  the  Phaeacians,  masters 
of  the  oar : 

"  Hearken,  ye  captains  and  counsellors 
of  the  Phaeacians,  and  now  let  Demo- 
docus  hold  his  hand  from  the  loud  lyre, 
for  this  song  of  his  is  nowise  pleasing 
alike  to  all.  From  the  time  that  we 
began  to  sup,  and  that  the  divine  min- 
strel was  moved  to  sing,  ever  since  hath 
yonder  stranger  never  ceased  from  woe- 
ful lamentation :  sore  grief,  methinks, 
hath  encompassed  his  heart.  Nay,  but 
let  the  minstrel  cease,  that  we  may  all 
alike  make  merry,  hosts  and  guest,  since 
it  is  far  meeter  so.  For  all  these  things 
are  ready  for  the  sake  of  the  honourable 
stranger,  even  the  convoy  and  the  loving 
gifts  which  we  give  him  out  of  our  love. 

"  In  a  brother's  place  stand  the 
114 


stranger  and  the  suppliant,  to  him  whose 
wits  have  even  a  little  range.  Where- 
fore do  thou  too  hide  not  now  with 
crafty  purpose  aught  whereof  I  ask  thee  ; 
it  were  more  meet  for  thee  to  tell  it  out. 
Say,  what  is  the  name  whereby  they 
called  thee  at  home,  even  thy  father  and 
thy  mother,  and  others  thy  townsmen 
and  the  dwellers  round  about  ?  For  there 
is  none  of  all  mankind  nameless,  neither 
the  mean  man  nor  yet  the  noble,  from 
the  first  hour  of  his  birth,  but  parents 
bestow  a  name  on  every  man  so  soon  as 
he  is  born. 

"  Tell  me  too  of  thy  land,  thy  town- 
ship, and  thy  city,  that  our  ships  may 
conceive  of  their  course  to  bring  thee 
thither.  For  the  Phaeacians  have  no 
pilots  nor  any  rudders  after  the  manner 
of  other  ships,  but  their  barques  them- 
selves understand  the  thoughts  and  in- 
tents of  men  j  they  know  the  cities  and 
fat  fields  of  every  people,  and  most 
swiftly  they  traverse  the  gulf  of  the  salt 
sea,  shrouded  in  mist  and  cloud,  and 
never  do  they  go  in  fear  of  wreck  or 
ruin.      Howbeit    I   heard    upon   a  time 

115 


this  word  thus  spoken  by  my  father 
Nausithous,  who  was  wont  to  say  that 
Poseidon  was  jealous  of  us  for  that  we 
give  safe  escort  to  all  men.  He  said 
that  the  god  would  some  day  smite  a 
well-wrought  ship  of  the  Phaeacians  as 
she  came  home  from  a  convoy  over  the 
misty  deep,  and  would  overshadow  our 
city  with  a  great  mountain.  Thus  that 
ancient  one  would  speak,  and  thus  the 
god  may  bring  it  about,  or  leave  it  un- 
done, according  to  the  good  pleasure  of 
his  will.  But  come  now,  declare  me  this 
and  plainly  tell  it  all ;  whither  wast  thou 
borne  wandering,  and  to  what  shores  of 
men  thou  camest ;  tell  me  of  the  people 
and  of  their  fair-lying  cities,  of  those 
whoso  are  hard  and  wild  and  unjust,  and 
of  those  likewise  who  are  hospitable  and 
of  a  god-fearing  mind.  Declare,  too, 
wherefore  thou  dost  weep  and  mourn  in 
spirit  at  the  tale  of  the  faring  of  the 
Argive  Danaans  and  the  lay  of  Ilios. 

"  All  this  the  gods  have  fashioned,  and 

have  woven  the  skein  of  death  for  men, 

that  there  might  be  a  song  in  the  ears 

even  of  the  folk  of  aftertime.      Hadst 

ii6 


thou  even  a  kinsman  by  marriage  that 
fell  before  Ilios,  a  true  man,  a  daughter's 
husband  or  wife's  father,  such  as  are 
nearest  us  after  those  of  our  own  stock 
and  blood  ?  Or  else,  may  be,  some 
loving  friend,  a  good  man  and  true ;  for 
a  friend  with  an  understanding  heart  is 
no  whit  worse  than  a  brother." 


117 


XIII. 


THE   STORY   OF   ODYSSEUS 


And  Odysseus  of  many  counsels 
answered  him  saying  :  "  King  Alcinous, 
most  notable  of  all  the  people,  verily  it 
is  a  good  thing  to  list  to  a  minstrel  such 
as  this  one,  like  to  the  gods  in  voice. 
Nay,  as  for  me,  I  say  that  there  is  no 
more  gracious  or  perfect  delight  than 
when  a  whole  people  makes  merry,  and 
ii8 


the  men  sit  orderly  at  feast  in  the  halls 
and  listen  to  the  singer,  and  the  tables 
by  them  are  laden  with  bread  and  flesh, 
and  a  wine-bearer  drawing  the  wine 
serves  it  round  and  pours  it  into  the 
cups.  This  seems  to  me  well-nigh  the 
fairest  thing  in  the  world.  But  now  thy 
heart  was  inclined  to  ask  of  my  grievous 
troubles,  that  I  may  mourn  for  more 
exceeding  sorrow.  What  then  shall  I 
tell  of  first,  what  last,  for  the  gods  of 
heaven  have  given  me  woes  in  plenty  ? 

"  Now,  first,  will  I  tell  my  name,  that 
ye  too  may  know  it,  and  that  I,  when  I 
have  escaped  the  pitiless  day,  may  yet 
be  your  host,  though  my  home  is  in  a 
far  country. 

"  I  am  Odysseus,  son  of  Laertes, 
who  am  in  men's  minds  for  all  man- 
ner of  wiles,  and  my  fame  reaches  unto 
heaven.  And  I  dwell  in  clear-seen 
Ithaca,  wherein  is  a  mountain  Neriton, 
with  trembling  forest  leaves,  standing 
manifest  to  view,  and  many  islands  lie 
around,  very  near  one  to  the  other, 
Dulichium  and  Same,  and  wooded  Za- 
cynthus.  Now  Ithaca  lies  low,  farthest 
119 


up  the  sea-line  toward  the  darkness,  but 
those  others  face  the  dawning  and  the  sun : 
a  rugged  isle,  but  a  good  nurse  of  noble 
youths  ;  and  for  myself  I  can  see  nought 
beside  sweeter  than  a  man's  own  country. 

"  Verily  Calypso,  the  fair  goddess, 
would  fain  have  kept  me  with  her  in 
her  hollow  caves,  longing  to  have  me 
for  her  lord ;  and  likewise  too,  guileful 
Circe  of  Aia,  would  have  stayed  me  in 
her  halls,  longing  to  have  me  for  her 
lord.  But  never  did  they  prevail  upon  my 
heart  within  my  breast.  So  surely  is 
there  nought  sweeter  than  a  man's  own 
country  and  his  parents,  even  though  he 
dwell  far  off  in  a  rich  home,  in  a  strange 
land,  away  from  them  that  begat  him. 
But  come,  let  me  tell  thee  too  of  the 
troubles  of  my  journeying,  which  Zeus 
lay  on  me  as  I  came  from  Troy. 

"The  wind  that  bare  me  from  Ilios 
brought  me  nigh  to  the  Cicones,  even  to 
Ismarus,  whereupon  I  sacked  their  city 
and  slew  the  people.   .   .   . 

"  Thence  for  nine  whole  days  was  I 
borne  by  ruinous  winds  over  the  teeming 
deep  ;  but  on  the  tenth  day  we  set  foot 
120 


on  the  land  of  the  lotus-eaters,  who  eat 
a  flowery  food.  So  we  stepped  ashore 
and  drew  water,  and  straightway  my 
company  took  their  midday  meal  by  the 
swift  ships.  Now  when  we  had  tasted 
meat  and  drink  I  sent  forth  certain  of 
my  company  to  go  and  make  search 
what  manner  of  men  they  were  who  here 
live  upon  the  earth  by  bread,  and  I 
chose  out  two  of  my  fellows,  and  sent 
a  third  with  them  as  herald.  Then 
straightway  they  went  and  mixed  with 
the  men  of  the  lotus-eaters,  and  so  it 
was  that  the  lotus-eaters  devised  not 
death  for  our  fellows,  but  gave  them  of 
the  lotus  to  taste.  Now  whosoever  of 
them  did  eat  the  honey-sweet  fruit  of  the 
lotus,  had  no  more  wish  to  bring  tidings 
nor  to  come  back,  but  there  he  chose  to 
abide  with  the  lotus-eating  men,  ever 
feeding  on  the  lotus,  and  forgetful  of  his 
homeward  way.  Therefore  I  led  them 
back  to  the  ships  weeping,  and  sore 
against  their  will,  and  dragged  them  be- 
neath the  benches,  and  bound  them  in 
the  hollow  barques.  But  I  commanded 
the  rest  of  my  well-loved  company  to 
121 


make  speed  and  go  on  board  the  swift 
ships,  lest  haply  any  should  eat  of  the 
lotus  and  be  forgetful  of  returning. 
Right  soon  they  embarked  and  sat  upon 
the  benches,  and  sitting  orderly  they 
smote  the  gray  sea  water  with  their  oars. 
"  Thence  we  sailed  onward  stricken 
at  heart.  And  we  came  to  the  land  of 
the  Cyclopes,  a  froward  and  a  lawless 
folk,  who,  trusting  to  the  deathless  gods, 
plant  not  aught  with  their  hands,  neither 
plough :  but,  behold,  all  these  things 
spring  for  them  in  plenty,  unsown  and 
untilled,  wheat,  and  barley,  and  vines, 
which  bear  great  clusters  of  the  juice  of 
the  grape,  and  the  rain  of  Zeus  gives 
them  increase.  These  have  neither 
gatherings  for  council  nor  oracles  of  law, 
but  they  dwell  in  hollow  caves  on  the 
crests  of  the  high  hills,  and  each  one 
utters  the  law  to  his  children  and  his 
wives,  and  they  reck  not  one  of  an- 
other. .  .  .  Thither  we  sailed,  and  some 
good  god  guided  us  through  the  night, 
for  it  was  dark  and  there  was  no  light 
to  see,  a  mist  lying  deep  about  the 
ships,  nor  did  the  moon  show  her  light 
122 


from  heaven,  but  was  shut  in  with 
clouds.  No  man  then  beheld  that  island, 
neither  saw  we  the  long  waves  rolling  to 
the  beach,  till  we  had  run  our  decked 
ships  ashore.  And  when  our  ships  were 
beached,  we  took  down  all  their  sails,  and 
ourselves  too  stept  forth  upon  the  strand 
of  the  sea,  and  there  we  fell  into  sound 
sleep  and  waited  for  the  bright  Dawn. 

"  So  soon  as  early  Dawn  shone  forth, 
the  rosy-fingered,  in  wonder  at  the  island 
we  roamed  over  the  length  thereof:  and 
the  Nymphs,  the  daughters  of  Zeus,  lord 
of  the  aegis,  started  the  wild  goats  of  the 
hills,  that  my  company  might  have  where- 
with to  sup.  Anon  we  took  to  us  our 
curved  bows  from  out  the  ships  and  long 
spears,  and  arrayed  in  three  bands  we 
began  shooting  at  the  goats  ;  and  the  god 
soon  gave  us  game  in  plenty.  Now 
twelve  ships  bare  me  company,  and  to 
each  ship  fell  nine  goats  for  a  portion, 
but    for   me   alone    they    set   ten   apart. 

"  Thus  we  sat  there  the  livelong  day 

until  the  going  down  of  the  sun,  feasting 

on    abundant  flesh  and  on  sweet  wine. 

For  the  red  wine  was  not  yet  spent  from 

123 


out  the  ships,  but  somewhat  was  yet 
therein,  for  we  had  each  one  drawn  off 
large  store  thereof  in  jars,  when  we  took 
the  sacred  citadel  of  the  Cicones.  And 
we  looked  across  to  the  land  of  the  Cy- 
clopes who  dwell  nigh,  and  to  the  smoke, 
and  to  the  voice  of  the  men,  and  of  the 
sheep  and  of  the  goats.  And  when  the 
sun  had  sunk  and  darkness  had  come  on, 
then  we  laid  us  to  rest  upon  the  sea- 
beach.  So  soon  as  early  Dawn  shone 
forth,  the  rosy-fingered,  then  I  called  a 
gathering  of  my  men,  and  spake  among 
them  all : 

'' '  Abide  here  all  the  rest  of  you,  my 
dear  companions ;  but  I  will  go  with 
mine  own  ship  and  my  ship's  company, 
and  make  proof  of  these  men,  what 
manner  of  folk  they  are,  whether  froward, 
and  wild,  and  unjust,  or  hospitable  and 
of  god-fearing  mind.' " 


124 


XIV. 

THE   ADVENTURE   WITH 
POLYPHEMUS 


"  So  I  spake,  and  I  climbed  the  ship's 
side,  and  bade  my  company  themselves 
to  mount,  and  to  loose  the  hawsers.  So 
they  soon  embarked  and  sat  upon  the 
benches,  and  sitting  orderly  smote  the 
gray  sea  water  with  their  oars.  Now 
when  we  had  come  to  the  land  that  lies 
125 


hard  by,  we  saw  a  cave  on  the  border 
near  to  the  sea,  lofty  and  roofed  over 
with  laurels,  and  there  many  flocks  of 
sheep  and  goats  were  used  to  rest.  And 
about  it  a  high  outer  court  was  built 
with  stones,  deep  bedded,  and  with  tall 
pines  and  oaks  with  their  high  crown  of 
leaves.  And  a  man  was  wont  to  sleep 
therein,  of  monstrous  size,  who  shep- 
herded his  flocks  alone  and  afar,  and  was 
not  conversant  with  others,  but  dwelt 
apart  in  lawlessness  of  mind.  Yea,  for 
he  was  a  monstrous  thing  and  fashioned 
marvellously,  nor  was  he  like  to  any 
man  that  lives  by  bread,  but  like  a 
wooded  peak  of  the  towering  hills,  which 
stands  out  apart  and  alone  from  others. 

"Then  I  commanded  the  rest  of  my 
well-loved  company  to  tarry  there  by  the 
ship,  and  to  guard  the  ship,  but  I  chose 
out  twelve  men,  the  best  of  my  company, 
and  sallied  forth.  Now  I  had  with  me 
a  goat-skin  of  the  dark  wine  and  sweet, 
which  Maron,  son  of  Euanthes,  had 
given  me,  the  priest  of  Apollo,  the  god 
that  watched  over  Ismarus.  .   .  . 

"  With  this  wine  I  filled  a  great  skin, 
126 


and  bare  it  with  me,  and  corn  too  I  put 
in  a  wallet,  for  my  lordly  spirit  straight- 
way had  a  boding  that  a  man  would 
come  to  me,  a  strange  man,  clothed  in 
mighty  strength,  one  that  knew  not 
judgment  and  justice. 

"  Soon  we  came  to  the  cave,  but  we 
found  him  not  within  ;  he  was  shepherd- 
ing his  fat  flocks  in  the  pastures.  So  we 
went  into  the  cave,  and  gazed  on  all  that 
was  therein.  The  baskets  were  well 
laden  with  cheeses,  and  the  folds  were 
thronged  with  lambs  and  kids ;  each 
kind  was  penned  by  itself,  the  firstlings 
apart,  and  the  summer  lambs  apart,  apart 
too  the  younglings  of  the  flock.  Now 
all  the  vessels  swam  with  whey,  the 
milk-pails  and  the  bowls,  the  well- 
wrought    vessels    whereinto    he    milked. 

"  My  company  then  spake  and  be- 
sought me  first  of  all  to  take  of  the 
cheeses  and  to  return,  and  afterwards  to 
make  haste  and  drive  off  the  kids  and 
lambs  to  the  swift  ships  from  out  the 
pens,  and  to  sail  over  the  salt  sea  water. 
Howbeit  I  hearkened  not  (and  far  better 
would  it  have  been),  but  waited  to  see 
127 


the  giant  himself,  and  whether  he  would 
give  me  gifts  as  a  stranger's  due.  Yet 
was  not  his  coming  to  be  with  joy  to  my 
company. 

"  Then  we  kindled  a  fire,  and  made 
burnt-ofFering,  and  ourselves  likewise 
took  of  the  cheeses,  and  did  eat,  and  sat 
waiting  for  him  within  till  he  came 
back,  shepherding  his  flocks.  And  he 
bore  a  grievous  weight  of  dry  wood, 
against  supper  time.  This  log  he  cast 
down  with  a  din  inside  the  cave,  and  in 
fear  we  fled  to  the  secret  place  of  the 
rock.  As  for  him,  he  drave  his  fat 
flocks  into  the  wide  cavern,  even  all  that 
he  was  wont  to  milk ;  but  the  males  both 
of  the  sheep  and  of  the  goats  he  left 
without  in  the  deep  yard.  Thereafter 
he  lifted  a  huge  doorstone  and  weighty, 
and  set  it  in  the  mouth  of  the  cave,  such 
an  one  as  two  and  twenty  good  four- 
wheeled  wains  could  not  raise  from  the 
ground,  so  mighty  a  sheer  rock  did  he 
set  against  the  doorway.  Then  he  sat 
down  and  milked  the  ewes  and  bleating 
goats  all  orderly,  and  beneath  each  ewe 
he  placed  her  young.  And  anon  he 
128 


curdled  one  half  of  the  white  milk, 
and  massed  it  together,  and  stored  it  in 
wicker-baskets,  and  the  other  half  he  let 
stand  in  pails,  that  he  might  have  it  to 
take  and  drink  against  supper  time. 
Now  when  he  had  done  all  his  work 
busily,  then  he  kindled  the  fire  anew,  and 
espied  us,  and  made  question  : 

"  '  Strangers,  who  are  ye  ?  Whence 
sail  ye  over  the  wet  ways  ?  On  some 
trading  enterprise  or  at  adventure  do  ye 
rove,  even  as  sea-robbers  over  the  brine, 
for  at  hazard  of  their  own  lives  they 
wander,  bringing  bale  to  alien  men.' 

*'  So  spake  he,  but  as  for  us  our  heart 
within  us  was  broken  for  terror  of  the 
deep  voice  and  his  own  monstrous  shape ; 
yet  despite  all  I  answered  and  spake 
unto  him,  saying : 

" '  Lo,  we  are  Achaeans,  driven  wan- 
dering from  Troy,  by  all  manner  of 
winds  over  the  great  gulf  of  the  sea ; 
seeking  our  homes  we  fare,  but  another 
path  have  we  come,  by  other  ways  :  even 
such,  methinks,  was  the  will  and  the 
counsel  of  Zeus.  And  we  avow  us  to 
be  the  men  of  Agamemnon,  son  of 
129 


Atreus,  whose  fame  is  even  now  the 
mightiest  under  heaven,  so  great  a  city 
did  he  sack,  and  destroyed  many  people ; 
but  as  for  us  we  have  lighted  here,  and 
come  to  these  thy  knees,  if  perchance  thou 
wilt  give  us  a  stranger's  gift,  or  make 
any  present,  as  is  the  due  of  strangers. 
Nay,  lord,  have  regard  to  the  gods,  for  we 
are  thy  suppliants;  and  Zeus  is  the 
avenger  of  suppliants  and  sojourners, 
Zeus,  the  god  of  the  stranger,  who 
fareth  in  the  company  of  reverend  stran- 
gers.' 

"  So  I  spake,  and  anon  he  answered 
out  of  his  pitiless  heart :  '  Thou  art  wit- 
less, my  stranger,  or  thou  hast  come 
from  afar,  who  biddest  me  either  to  fear 
or  shun  the  gods.  For  the  Cyclopes  pay 
no  heed  to  Zeus,  lord  of  the  aegis,  nor 
to  the  blessed  gods,  for  verily  we  are  bet- 
ter men  than  they.  Nor  would  I,  to 
shun  the  enmity  of  Zeus,  spare  either 
thee  or  thy  company,  unless  my  spirit 
bade  me.  But  tell  me  where  thou  didst 
stay  thy  well-wrought  ship  on  thy  com- 
ing ?  Was  it  perchance  at  the  far  end  of 
the  island,  or  hard  by,  that  I  may  know  .'' ' 
130 


"So  he  spake  tempting  me,  but  he 
cheated  me  not,  who  knew  full  much, 
and  I  answered  him  again  with  words 
of  guile  : 

" '  As  for  my  ship,  Poseidon,  the 
shaker  of  the  earth,  brake  it  to  pieces, 
for  he  cast  it  upon  the  rocks  at  the 
border  of  your  country,  and  brought  it 
nigh  the  headland,  and  a  wind  bare  it 
thither  from  the  sea.  But  I  with  these 
my  men  escaped  from  utter  doom.' 

"  So  I  spake,  and  out  of  his  pitiless 
heart  he  answered  me  not  a  word,  but 
sprang  up,  and  laid  his  hands  upon  my 
fellows,  and  clutching  two  together  dashed 
them,  as  they  had  been  whelps,  to  the 
earth,  and  the  brain  flowed  forth  upon 
the  ground,  and  the  earth  was  wet.  Then 
cut  he  them  up  piecemeal,  and  made 
ready  his  supper.  So  he  ate  even  as  a 
mountain-bred  lion,  and  ceased  not, 
devouring  entrails  and  flesh  and  bones 
with  their  marrow.  And  we  wept  and 
raised  our  hands  to  Zeus,  beholding  the 
cruel  deeds ;  and  we  were  at  our  wits' 
end.  And  after  the  Cyclops  had  filled 
his  huge  maw  with  human  flesh  and  the 
131 


milk  he  drank  thereafter,  he  lay  within 
the  cave,  stretched  out  among  his  sheep. 

*'  So  I  took  counsel  in  my  great  heart, 
whether  I  should  draw  near,  and  pluck 
my  sharp  sword  from  my  thigh,  and 
stab  him  in  the  breast,  where  the  midriff 
holds  the  liver,  feeling  for  the  place  with 
my  hand.  But  my  second  thought  with- 
held me,  for  so  should  we  too  have 
perished  even  there  with  utter  doom. 
For  we  should  not  have  prevailed  to 
roll  away  with  our  hands  from  the  lofty 
door  the  heavy  stone  which  he  set  there. 
So  for  that  time  we  made  moan,  awaiting 
the  bright  Dawn. 

"  Now  when  early  Dawn  shone  forth, 
the  rosy-fingered,  again  he  kindled  the 
fire  and  milked  his  goodly  flocks  all 
orderly,  and  beneath  each  ewe  set  her 
lamb.  Anon  when  he  had  done  all  his 
work  busily,  again  he  seized  yet  other 
two  men  and  made  ready  his  mid-day 
meal.  And  after  the  meal,  lightly  he 
moved  away  the  great  door-stone,  and 
drave  his  fat  flocks  forth  from  the  cave, 
and  afterwards  he  set  it  in  his  place  again, 
as  one  might  set  the  lid  on  a  quiver. 
132 


Then  with  a  loud  whoop,  the  Cyclops 
turned  his  fat  flocks  towards  the  hills  j 
but  I  was  left  devising  evil  in  the  deep 
of  my  heart,  if  in  any  wise  I  might 
avenge  me,  and  Athene  grant  me  renown. 

"  And  this  was  the  counsel  that  showed 
best  in  my  sight.  There  lay  by  a  sheep- 
fold  a  great  club  of  the  Cyclops,  a  club 
of  olive  wood,  yet  green,  which  he  had  cut 
to  carry  with  him  when  it  should  be 
seasoned.  Now  when  we  saw  it  we 
likened  it  in  size  to  the  mast  of  a  black 
ship  of  twenty  oars,  a  wide  merchant 
vessel  that  traverses  the  great  sea  gulf, 
so  huge  it  was  to  view  in  bulk  and  length. 

"  I  stood  thereby  and  cut  off  from  it  a 
portion  as  it  were  a  fathom's  length,  and 
set  it  by  my  fellows,  and  bade  them  fine 
it  down,  and  they  made  it  even,  while 
I  stood  by  and  sharpened  it  to  a  point, 
and  straightway  I  took  it  and  hardened 
it  in  the  bright  fire.  Then  I  laid  it  well 
away,  and  hid  it  beneath  the  dung,  which 
was  scattered  in  great  heaps  in  the 
depths  of  the  cave.  And  I  bade  my 
company  cast  lots  among  them,  which 
of  them  should  risk  the  adventure  with 
133 


me,  and  lift  the  bar  and  turn  it  about  in 
his  eye,  when  sweet  sleep  came  upon 
him.  And  the  lot  fell  upon  those  four 
whom  I  myself  would  have  been  fain  to 
choose,  and  I  appointed  myself  to  be  the 
fifth  among  them.  In  the  evening  he 
came  shepherding  his  flocks  of  goodly 
fleece,  and  presently  he  drave  his  fat 
flocks  into  the  cave  each  and  all,  nor  left 
he  any  without  in  the  deep  court-yard, 
whether  through  some  foreboding,  or 
perchance  that  the  god  so  bade  him  do. 
Thereafter  he  lifted  the  huge  door-stone 
and  set  it  in  the  mouth  of  the  cave,  and 
sitting  down  he  milked  the  ewes  and 
bleating  goats,  all  orderly,  and  beneath 
each  ewe  he  placed  her  young.  Now 
when  he  had  done  all  his  work  busily, 
again  he  seized  yet  other  two  and  made 
ready  his  supper.  Then  I  stood  by  the 
Cyclops  and  spake  to  him,  holding  in 
my  hands  an  ivy  bowl  of  the  dark  wine : 
" '  Cyclops,  take  and  drink  wine  after 
thy  feast  of  man's  meat,  that  thou 
mayest  know  what  manner  of  drink  this 
was  that  our  ship  held.  And  lo,  I  was 
bringing  it  thee  as  a  drink  offering,  if 

134 


haply  thou  mayest  take  pity  and  send  me 
on  my  way  home,  but  thy  mad  rage  is 
past  all  sufferance.  O  hard  of  heart, 
how  many  another  of  the  many  men  there 
be  come  ever  to  thee  again,  seeing  that 
thy  deeds  have  been  lawless  ? ' 

*'  So  I  spake,  and  he  took  the  cup  and 
drank  it  off,  and  found  great  delight  in 
drinking  the  sweet  draught,  and  asked 
me  for  it  yet  a  second  time : 

" '  Give  it  me  again  of  thy  grace,  and 
tell  me  thy  name  straightway,  that  I  may 
give  thee  a  stranger's  gift,  wherein  thou 
mayest  be  glad.  Yea  for  the  earth,  the 
grain-giver,  bears  for  the  Cyclopes  the 
mighty  clusters  of  the  juice  of  the  grape, 
and  the  rain  of  Zeus  gives  them  increase, 
but  this  is  a  rill  of  very  nectar  and 
ambrosia.' 

*'  So  he  spake,  and  again  I  handed 
him  the  dark  wine.  Thrice  I  bare  and 
gave  it  him,  and  thrice  in  his  folly  he 
drank  it  to  the  lees.  Now  when  the 
wine  had  got  about  the  wits  of  the  Cy- 
clops, then  did  I  speak  to  him  with 
soft  words : 

" '  Cyclops,  thou  askest  me  my  re- 
135 


nowned  name,  and  I  will  declare  it  unto 
thee,  and  do  thou  grant  me  a  stranger's 
gift,  as  thou  didst  promise.  Noman  is 
my  name,  and  Noman  they  call  me,  my 
father  and  my  mother  and  all  my  fel- 
lows.' 

"So  I  spake,  and  straightway  he  an- 
swered me  out  of  his  pitiless  heart : 

"  '  Noman  will  I  eat  last  in  the  number 
of  his  fellows,  and  the  others  before  him  : 
that  shall  be  thy  gift.' 

"  Therewith  he  sank  backwards  and 
fell  with  face  upturned,  and  there  he  lay 
with  his  great  neck  bent  round,  and  sleep, 
that  conquers  all  men,  overcame  him. 
And  the  wine  and  the  fragments  of 
men's  flesh  issued  forth  from  his  mouth, 
and  he  vomited,  being  heavy  with  wine. 

"  Then  I  thrust  in  that  stake  under  the 
deep  ashes,  until  it  should  grow  hot,  and 
I  spake  to  my  companions  comfortable 
words,  lest  any  should  hang  back  from 
me  in  fear.  But  when  that  bar  of  olive 
wood  was  just  about  to  catch  fire  in  the 
flame,  green  though  it  was,  and  began 
to  glow  terribly,  even  then  I  came  nigh, 
and  drew  it  from  the  coals,  and  my 
136 


fellows  gathered  about  me,  and  some 
god  breathed  great  courage  into  us.  For 
their  part  they  seized  the  bar  of  olive 
wood,  that  was  sharpened  at  the  point, 
and  thrust  it  into  his  eye,  while  I  from 
my  place  aloft  turned  it  about,  as  when 
a  man  bores  a  ship's  beam  with  a  drill 
while  his  fellows  below  spin  it  with  a 
strap,  which  they  hold  at  either  end,  and 
the  auger  runs  round  continually.  Even 
so  did  we  seize  the  fiery-pointed  brand 
and  whirled  it  round  in  his  eye,  and  the 
blood  flowed  about  the  heated  bar.  And 
the  breath  of  the  flame  singed  his  eyelids 
and  brows  all  about,  as  the  ball  of  the 
eye  burnt  away,  and  the  roots  thereof 
crackled  in  the  flame.  And  as  when  a 
smith  dips  an  axe  or  adze  in  chill  water 
with  a  great  hissing,  when  he  would 
temper  it  —  for  hereby  anon  comes  the 
strength  of  iron  —  even  so  did  his  eye 
hiss  round  the  stake  of  olive.  And  he 
raised  a  great  and  terrible  cry,  that  the 
rock  rang  around,  and  we  fled  away  in 
fear,  while  he  plucked  forth  from  his 
eye  the  brand  bedabbled  in  much  blood. 
Then  maddened  with  pain  he  cast  it  from 

137 


him  with  his  hands,  and  called  with  a 
loud  voice  on  the  Cyclopes,  who  dwelt 
about  him  in  the  caves  along  the  windy 
heights.  And  they  heard  the  cry  and 
flocked  together  from  every  side,  and 
gathering  round  the  cave  asked  him 
what  ailed  him  : 

" '  What  hath  so  distressed  thee, 
Polyphemus,  that  thou  criest  thus  aloud 
through  the  immortal  night,  and  makest 
us  sleepless  ?  Surely  no  mortal  driveth 
ofF  thy  flocks  against  thy  will :  surely 
none  slayeth  thyself  by  force  or  craft  ?  * 

"  And  the  strong  Polyphemus  spake 
to  them  again  from  out  the  cave :  *  My 
friends,  Noman  is  slaying  me  by  guile, 
nor  at  all  by  force.' 

"  And  they  answered  and  spake  winged 
words :  '  If  then  no  man  is  violently 
handling  thee  in  thy  solitude,  it  can  in 
no  wise  be  that  thou  shouldest  escape 
the  sickness  sent  by  mighty  Zeus.  Nay, 
pray  thou  to  thy  father,  the  lord 
Poseidon.' 

"  On  this  wise  they  spake  and  de- 
parted ;  and  my  heart  within  me  laughed 
to  see  how  my  name  and  cunning  coun- 
138 


sel  had  beguiled  them.  But  the  Cyclops, 
groaning  and  travailing  in  pain,  groped 
with  his  hands,  and  lifted  away  the  stone 
from  the  door  of  the  cave,  and  himself 
sat  in  the  entry,  vi'ith  arms  outstretched 
to  catch,  if  he  might,  any  one  that  was 
going  forth  with  his  sheep,  so  witless, 
methinks,  did  he  hope  to  find  me.  But 
I  advised  me  how  all  might  be  for  the 
very  best,  if  perchance  I  might  find  a 
way  of  escape  from  death  for  my  com- 
panions and  myself,  and  I  wove  all 
manner  of  craft  and  counsel,  as  a  man 
will  for  his  life,  seeing  that  great  mis- 
chief was  nigh.  And  this  was  the  coun- 
sel that  showed  best  in  my  sight.  The 
rams  of  the  flock  were  well  nurtured 
and  thick  of  fleece,  great  and  goodly, 
with  wool  dark  as  the  violet.  Quietly 
I  lashed  them  together  with  twisted 
withies,  whereon  the  Cyclops  slept,  that 
lawless  monster.  Three  together  I 
took  :  now  the  middle  one  of  the  three 
would  bear  each  a  man,  but  the  other 
twain  went  on  either  side,  saving  my 
fellows.  Thus  every  three  sheep  bare 
their  man.  But  as  for  me  I  laid  hold 
139 


of  the  back  of  a  young  ram  who  was 
far  the  best  and  the  goodliest  of  all  the 
flock,  and  curled  beneath  his  shaggy 
belly  there  I  lay,  and  so  clung  face  up- 
ward, grasping  the  wondrous  fleece  with 
a  steadfast  heart.  So  for  that  time  mak- 
ing moan  we  awaited  the  bright  Dawn. 

"  So  soon  as  early  Dawn  shone  forth, 
the  rosy-fingered,  then  did  the  rams  of 
the  flock  hasten  forth  to  pasture,  but  the 
ewes  bleated  unmilked  about  the  pens, 
for  their  udders  were  swollen  to  burst- 
ing. Then  their  lord,  sore  stricken  with 
pain,  felt  along  the  backs  of  all  the  sheep 
as  they  stood  up  before  him,  and  guessed 
not  in  his  folly  how  that  my  men  were 
bound  beneath  the  breasts  of  his  thick- 
fleeced  flocks.  Last  of  all  the  sheep 
came  forth  the  ram,  cumbered  with  his 
wool,  and  the  weight  of  me  and  my  cun- 
ning. And  the  strong  Polyphemus  laid 
his  hands  on  him  and  spake  to  him, 
saying : 

" '  Dear  ram,  wherefore,  I  pray  thee, 

art  thou  the  last  of  all  the  flocks  to  go 

forth  from  the  cave,  who   of  old  wast 

not  wont  to  lag  behind  the  sheep,  but 

140 


wert  ever  the  foremost  to  pluck  the  ten- 
der blossom  of  the  pasture,  faring  with 
long  strides,  and  wert  still  the  first  to 
come  to  the  streams  of  the  rivers,  and 
first  didst  long  to  return  to  the  home- 
stead in  the  evening.  But  now  art  thou 
the  very  last.  Surely  thou  art  sorrowing 
for  the  eye  of  thy  lord,  which  an  evil 
man  blinded,  with  his  accursed  fellows, 
when  he  had  subdued  my  wits  with  wine, 
even  Noman,  who  I  say  hath  not  yet 
escaped  destruction.  Ah,  if  thou  couldst 
feel  as  I,  and  be  endued  with  speech,  to 
tell  me  where  he  shifts  about  to  shun 
my  wrath ;  then  should  he  be  smitten, 
and  his  brains  be  dashed  against  the  floor 
here  and  there  about  the  cave,  and  my 
heart  be  lightened  of  the  sorrows  which 
Noman,  nothing  worth,  hath  brought 
me!' 

"  Therewith  he  sent  the  ram  forth 
from  him,  and  when  we  had  gone  but  a 
little  way  from  the  cave  and  from  the 
yard,  first  I  loosed  myself  from  under 
the  ram  and  then  I  set  my  fellows  free. 
And  swiftly  we  drave  on  those  stiff- 
shanked  sheep,  so  rich  in  fat,  and  often 
141 


turned  to  look  about,  till  we  came  to 
the  ship.  And  a  glad  sight  to  our  fel- 
lows were  we  that  had  fled  from  death, 
but  the  others  they  would  have  bemoaned 
with  tears  ;  howbeit  I  suffered  it  not,  but 
with  frowning  brows  forbade  each  man 
to  weep.  Rather  I  bade  them  to  cast  on 
board  the  many  sheep  with  goodly  fleece, 
and  to  sail  over  the  salt  sea  water.  So 
they  embarked  forthwith,  and  sate  upon 
the  benches,  and  sitting  orderly  smote  the 
gray  sea  water  with  their  oars.  But 
when  I  had  not  gone  so  far,  but  that  a 
man's  shout  might  be  heard,  then  I  spoke 
unto  the  Cyclops  taunting  him  : 

" '  Cyclops,  so  thou  wert  not  to  eat 
the  company  of  a  weakling  by  main 
might  in  thy  hollow  cave  !  Thine  evil 
deeds  were  very  sure  to  find  thee  out, 
thou  cruel  man,  who  hadst  no  shame  to 
eat  thy  guests  within  thy  gates,  where- 
fore Zeus  hath  requited  thee,  and  the 
other  gods.' 

"  So  I  spake,  and  he  was  yet  the  more 

angered  at  heart,  and  he  brake  off  the 

peak  of  a  great  hill  and  threw  it  at  us, 

and  it  fell  in  front  of  the  dark-prowed 

142 


ship.  And  the  sea  heaved  beneath  the 
fall  of  the  rock,  and  the  backward  flow 
of  the  wave  bare  the  ship  quickly  to  the 
dry  land,  with  the  wash  from  the  deep 
sea,  and  drave  it  to  the  shore.  Then  I 
caught  up  a  long  pole  in  my  hands,  and 
thrust  the  ship  from  off  the  land,  and 
roused  my  company,  and  with  a  motion 
of  the  head  bade  them  dash  in  with  their 
oars,  that  so  we  might  escape  our  evil 
plight.  So  they  bent  to  their  oars  and 
rowed  on.  But  when  we  had  now  made 
twice  the  distance  over  the  brine,  I 
would  fain  have  spoken  to  the  Cyclops, 
but  my  company  stayed  me  on  every 
side  with  soft  words,  saying : 

" '  Foolhardy  that  thou  art,  why 
wouldst  thou  rouse  a  wild  man  to  wrath, 
who  even  now  hath  cast  so  mighty  a 
throw  towards  the  deep  and  brought  our 
ship  back  to  land,  yea  and  we  thought 
that  we  had  perished  even  there  ?  If  he 
had  heard  any  of  us  utter  sound  or  speech 
he  would  have  crushed  our  heads  and 
our  ship  timbers  with  a  cast  of  a  rugged 
stone,  so  mightily  he  hurls.' 

"  So  spake  they,  but  they  prevailed 
143 


not  on  my  lordly  spirit,  and  I  answered 
him  again  from  out  an  angry  heart : 

" '  Cyclops,  if  any  one  of  mortal  men 
shall  ask  thee  of  the  unsightly  blinding 
of  thine  eye,  say  that  it  was  Odysseus 
that  blinded  it,  the  waster  of  cities,  son 
of  Laertes,  whose  dwelling  is  in  Ithaca.'  " 


144 


XV. 


THE   LAND    OF   THE   WINDS 


*'  Then  we  came  to  the  isle  Aeolian, 
where  dwelt  Aeolus,  son  of  Hippotas, 
dear  to  the  deathless  gods,  in  a  floating 
island,  and  all  about  it  is  a  wall  of  bronze 
unbroken,  and  the  clifF  runs  up  sheer 
from  the  sea.  His  twelve  children  too 
abide  there  in  his  halls,  six  daughters 
and  six  lusty  sons  ;  and,  behold,  he  gave 
145 


his  daughters  to  his  sons  to  wife.  And 
they  feast  evermore  by  their  dear  father 
and  their  kind  mother,  and  dainties  in- 
numerable lie  ready  to  their  hands.  And 
the  house  is  full  of  the  savour  of  feast- 
ing, and  the  noise  thereof  rings  round, 
yea,  in  the  courtyard,  by  day,  and  in  the 
night  they  sleep  each  one  by  his  chaste 
wife  in  coverlets  and  on  jointed  bed- 
steads. 

"  So  then  we  came  to  their  city  and 
their  goodly  dwelling,  and  the  king  en- 
treated me  kindly  for  a  whole  month, 
and  sought  out  each  thing,  Ilios  and  the 
ships  of  the  Argives,  and  the  return  of 
the  Achaeans.  So  I  told  him  all  the  tale 
in  order  duly.  But  when  I  in  turn  took 
the  word  and  asked  of  my  journey,  and 
bade  him  send  me  on  my  way,  he  too 
denied  me  not,  but  furnished  an  escort. 
He  gave  me  a  wallet,  made  of  the  hide 
of  an  ox  of  nine  seasons  old,  which  he 
let  flay,  and  therein  he  bound  the  ways 
of  all  the  noisy  winds  ;  for  him  the  son 
of  Cronos  made  keeper  of  the  winds, 
either  to  lull  or  to  rouse  what  blasts  he 
will.  And  he  made  it  fast  in  the  hold 
146 


of  the  ship  with  a  shining  silver  thong, 
that  not  the  faintest  breath  might  escape. 
Then  he  sent  forth  the  blast  of  the 
West  Wind  to  blow  for  me,  to  bear  our 
ships  and  ourselves  upon  our  way  ;  but 
this  he  was  never  to  bring  to  pass,  for 
we  were  undone  through  our  own  heed- 
lessness. 

"  For  nine  whole  days  we  sailed  by 
night  and  day  continually,  and  now  on 
the  tenth  day  my  native  land  came  in 
sight,  and  already  we  were  so  near  that 
we  beheld  the  folk  tending  the  beacon 
fires.  Then  over  me  there  came  sweet 
slumber  in  my  weariness,  for  all  the 
time  I  was  holding  the  sheet,  nor  gave 
it  to  any  of  my  company,  that  so  we 
might  come  quicker  to  our  own  coun- 
try. Meanwhile  my  company  held  con- 
verse together,  and  said  that  I  was 
bringing  home  for  myself  gold  and  silver, 
gifts  from  Aeolus  the  high-hearted  son 
of  Hippotas.  And  thus  would  they 
speak  looking  each  man  to  his  neigh- 
bour : 

"  *  Lo  now,  how  beloved  he  is  and 
highly  esteemed  among  all  men,  to  the 
147 


city  and  land  of  whomsoever  he  may 
come.  Many  are  the  goodly  treasures 
he  taketh  with  him  out  of  the  spoil  from 
Troy,  while  we  who  have  fulfilled  like 
journeying  with  him  return  homeward 
bringing  with  us  but  empty  hands.  And 
now  Aeolus  hath  given  unto  him  these 
things  freely  in  his  love.  Nay  come, 
let  us  quickly  see  what  they  are,  even 
what  wealth  of  gold  and  silver  is  in  the 
wallet.' 

"So  they  spake,  and  the  evil  counsel 
of  my  company  prevailed.  They  loosed 
the  wallet,  and  all  the  winds  brake 
forth.  And  the  violent  blast  seized  my 
men,  and  bare  them  towards  the  high 
seas  weeping,  away  from  their  own 
country ;  but  as  for  me,  I  awoke  and 
communed  with  my  great  heart,  whether 
I  should  cast  myself  from  the  ship  and 
perish  in  the  deep,  or  endure  in  silence 
and  abide  yet  among  the  living.  How- 
beit  I  hardened  my  heart  to  endure,  and 
muffling  my  head  I  lay  still  in  the  ship. 
But  the  vessels  were  driven  by  the  evil 
storm-wind  back  to  the  isle  Aeolian,  and 
my  company  made  moan. 
148 


''  There  we  stepped  ashore  and  drew 
water,  and  my  company  presently  took 
their  midday  meal  by  the  swift  ships. 
Now  when  we  had  tasted  bread  and 
wine,  I  took  with  me  a  herald  and  one 
of  my  company,  and  went  to  the 
famous  dwelling  of  Aeolus  :  and  I  found 
him  feasting  with  his  wife  and  children. 
So  we  went  in  and  sat  by  the  pillars  of 
the  door  on  the  threshold,  and  they  all 
marvelled  and  asked  us : 

" '  How  hast  thou  come  hither, 
Odysseus  ?  What  evil  god  assailed 
thee  ?  Surely  we  sent  thee  on  thy  way 
with  all  diligence,  that  thou  mightest  get 
thee  to  thine  own  country  and  thy  home, 
and  whithersoever  thou  wouldest.' 

"  Even  so  they  said,  but  I  spake  among 
them  heavy  at  heart :  '  My  evil  company 
hath  been  my  bane,  and  sleep  thereto 
remorseless.  Come,  my  friends,  do  ye 
heal  the  harm,  for  yours  is  the  power.' 

"  So  I  spake,  beseeching  them  in  soft 
words,  but  they  held  their  peace.  And 
the  father  answered,  saying :  '  Get  thee 
forth  from  the  island  straightway,  thou 
that  art  the  most  reprobate  of  living 
149 


men.  Far  be  it  from  me  to  help  or  to 
further  that  man  whom  the  blessed  gods 
abhor  !  Get  thee  forth,  for  lo,  thy  com- 
ing marks  thee  hated  by  the  deathless 
gods.' " 


150 


XVI. 


THE   ISLAND   OF   CIRCE 


*'  And  we  came  to  the  isle  Aeaean, 
where  dwelt  Circe  of  the  braided  tresses, 
an  awful  goddess  of  mortal  speech, 
own  sister  to  the  wizard  Aetes.  Both 
were  begotten  of  Helios,  who  gives  light 
to  all  men,  and  their  mother  was  Perse, 
daughter  of  Oceanus.  There  on  the 
shore  we  put  in  with  our  ship  into  the 
151 


sheltering  haven  silently,  and  some  god 
was  our  guide.  Then  we  stept  ashore, 
and  for  two  days  and  two  nights  lay 
there,  consuming  our  own  hearts  for 
weariness    and  pain.   .  .  . 

"  Then  I  numbered  my  goodly-greaved 
company  in  two  bands,  and  appointed  a 
leader  for  each,  and  I  myself  took  the 
command  of  the  one  part,  and  godlike 
Eurylochus  of  the  other.  And  anon  we 
shook  the  lots  in  a  brazen-fitted  helmet, 
and  out  leapt  the  lot  of  proud  Eurylochus. 
So  he  went  on  his  way,  and  with  him 
two  and  twenty  of  my  fellowship  all 
weeping;  and  we  were  left  behind  mak- 
ing lament.  In  the  forest  glades  they 
found  the  halls  of  Circe  builded,  of 
polished  stone,  in  a  place  with  wide 
prospect.  And  all  around  the  palace 
mountain-bred  wolves  and  lions  were 
roaming,  whom  she  herself  had  bewitched 
with  evil  drugs  that  she  gave  them.  Yet 
the  beasts  did  not  set  on  my  men,  but 
lo,  they  ramped  about  them  and  fawned 
on  them,  wagging  their  long  tails.  And 
as  when  dogs  fawn  about  their  lord  when 
he  comes  from  the  feast,  for  he  always 
152 


brings  them  the  fragments  that  soothe 
their  mood,  even  so  the  strong-clawed 
wolves  and  the  lions  fawned  around 
them ;  but  they  were  affrighted  when 
they  saw  the  strange  and  terrible  crea- 
tures. So  they  stood  at  the  outer  gate 
of  the  fair-tressed  goddess,  and  within 
they  heard  Circe  singing  in  a  sweet 
voice,  as  she  fared  to  and  fro  before  the 
great  web  imperishable,  such  as  is  the 
handiwork  of  goddesses,  fine  of  woof  and 
full  of  grace  and  splendour.  Then 
Polites,  a  leader  of  men,  the  dearest  to 
me  and  the  trustiest  of  all  my  company, 
first  spake  to  them  : 

" '  Friends,  forasmuch  as  there  is  one 
within  that  fares  to  and  fro  before  a 
mighty  web  singing  a  sweet  song,  so 
that  all  the  floor  of  the  hall  makes  echo, 
a  goddess  she  is  or  a  woman ;  come 
quickly  and  cry  aloud  to  her.' 

"  He  spake  the  word  and  they  cried 
aloud  and  called  to  her.  And  straight- 
way she  came  forth  and  opened  the 
shining  doors  and  bade  them  in,  and  all 
went  with  her  in  their  heedlessness.  But 
Eurylochus  tarried  behind,  for  he  guessed 
153 


that  there  was  some  treason.  So  she  led 
them  in  and  set  them  upon  chairs  and 
high  seats,  and  made  them  a  mess  of 
cheese  and  barley-meal  and  yellow  honey 
with  Pramnian  wine,  and  mixed  harmful 
drugs  with  the  food  to  make  them  utterly 
forget  their  own  country.  Now  when 
she  had  given  them  the  cup  and  they 
had  drunk  it  off,  presently  she  smote 
them  with  a  wand,  and  in  the  styes  of 
the  swine  she  penned  them.  So  they 
had  the  head  and  voice,  the  bristles  and 
the  shape  of  swine,  but  their  mind  abode 
even  as  of  old.  Thus  were  they  penned 
there  weeping,  and  Circe  flung  them 
acorns  and  mast  and  fruit  of  the  cornel 
tree  to  eat,  whereon  wallowing  swine  do 
always  batten. 

"  Now  Eurylochus  came  back  to  the 
swift  black  ship  to  bring  tidings  of  his 
fellows,  and  of  their  unseemly  doom. 
Not  a  word  could  he  utter,  for  all  his 
desire,  so  deeply  smitten  was  he  to  the 
heart  with  grief,  and  his  eyes  were  filled 
with  tears  and  his  soul  was  fain  of 
lamentation.  But  when  we  all  had  pressed 
him  with  our  questions  in  amazement, 
154 


even  then  he  told  the  fate  of  the  remnant 
of  our  company. 

"  *■  We  went,  as  thou  didst  command, 
through  the  coppice,  noble  Odysseus : 
we  found  within  the  forest  glades  the 
fair  halls,  builded  of  polished  stone,  in 
a  place  with  wide  prospect.  And  there 
was  one  that  fared  before  a  mighty  web 
and  sang  a  clear  song,  a  goddess  she  was 
or  a  woman,  and  they  cried  aloud  and 
called  to  her.  And  straightway  she 
came  forth,  and  opened  the  shining  doors 
and  bade  them  in,  and  they  all  went  with 
her  in  their  heedlessness.  But  I  tarried 
behind,  for  I  guessed  that  there  was  some 
treason.  Then  they  vanished  away  one 
and  all,  nor  did  any  of  them  appear  again, 
though  I  sat  long  time  watching.' 

"  So  spake  he,  whereon  I  cast  about 
my  shoulder  my  silver-studded  sword,  a 
great  blade  of  bronze,  and  slung  my  bow 
about  me  and  bade  him  lead  me  again 
by  the  way  that  he  came.  But  he  caught 
me  with  both  hands,  and  by  my  knees 
he  besought  me,  and  bewailing  him  spake 
to  me  winged  words : 

'' '  Lead    me   not   thither  against    my 

155 


will,  oh  fosterling  of  Zeus,  but  leave  me 
here !  For  well  I  know  thou  shalt  thy- 
self return  no  more,  nor  bring  any  one 
of  all  thy  fellowship ;  nay,  let  us  flee 
the  swifter  with  those  that  be  here,  for 
even  yet  may  we  escape  the  evil  day.* 

"  On  this  wise  he  spake,  but  I  an- 
swered him,  saying  :  *  Eurylochus,  abide 
for  thy  part  here  in  this  place,  eating 
and  drinking  by  the  black  hollow  ship : 
but  I  will  go  forth,  for  a  strong  constraint 
is  laid  on  me.* 

"  With  that  I  went  up  from  the  ship 
and  the  sea-shore.  But  lo,  when  in  my 
faring  through  the  sacred  glades  I  was 
now  drawing  near  to  the  great  hall  of 
the  enchantress  Circe,  then  did  Hermes, 
of  the  golden  wand,  meet  me  as  I  ap- 
proached the  house,  in  the  likeness  of  a 
young  man  with  the  first  down  on  his 
lip,  the  time  when  youth  is  most  gracious. 
So  he  clasped  my  hand  and  spake  and 
hailed  me : 

"'Ah,  hapless  man,  whither  away  again, 

all  alone   through   the   wolds,   thou  that 

knowest    not   this    country  ?      And    thy 

company  yonder  in  the  hall  of  Circe  are 

156 


penned  in  the  guise  of  swine,  in  their  deep 
lairs  abiding.     Is  it  in  hope  to  free  them 
that  thou  art  come  hither?     Nay,  me- 
thinks,  thou  thyself  shalt  never   return 
but  remain  there  with  the  others.    Come 
then,  I  will  redeem  thee  from  thy  distress, 
and   bring   deliverance.      Lo,   take    this 
herb  of  virtue,  and  go  to  the  dwelling  of 
Circe,  that  it  may  keep  from  thy  head 
the  evil   day.     And  I  will  tell  thee  all 
the  magic  sleight   of  Circe.      She   will 
mix  thee  a  potion  and  cast  drugs  into  the 
mess  i  but  not  even  so  shall  she  be  able 
to    enchant    thee ;    so    helpful    is    this 
charmed  herb  that  I  shall  give  thee,  and 
I  will  tell  thee  all.     When  it  shall  be 
that    Circe   smites    thee  with  her   long 
wand,   even   then   draw  thou   thy  sharp 
sword  from  thy  thigh,  and  spring  on  her, 
as  one  eager  to  slay  her.      And  she  will 
shrink  away  and  be  instant  with  thee  to 
lie  with  her.      Thenceforth  disdain  not 
thou    the  bed  of  the   goddess,  that  she 
may    deliver    thy    company    and    kindly 
entertain   thee.      But   command   her   to 
swear  a  mighty  oath  by  the  blessed  gods, 
that  she  will  plan  nought  else  of  mischief 
157 


to  thine  own  hurt,  lest  she  make  thee  a 
dastard  and  unmanned,  when  she  hath 
thee  naked.' 

"  Therewith  the  slayer  of  Argos  gave 
me  the  plant  that  he  had  plucked  from 
the  ground,  and  he  showed  me  the 
growth  thereof.  It  was  black  at  the 
root,  but  the  flower  was  like  to  milk. 
Moly  the  gods  call  it,  but  it  is  hard  for 
mortal  men  to  dig;  howbeit  with  the 
gods  all  things  are  possible. 

"  Then  Hermes  departed  toward  high 
Olympus,  up  through  the  woodland  isle, 
but  as  for  me  I  held  on  my  way  to  the 
house  of  Circe,  and  my  heart  was  darkly 
troubled  as  I  went.  So  I  halted  in 
the  portals  of  the  fair-tressed  goddess  ; 
there  I  stood  and  called  aloud  and  the 
goddess  heard  my  voice,  who  presently 
came  forth  and  opened  the  shining  doors 
and  bade  me  in,  and  I  went  with  her 
heavy  at  heart.  So  she  led  me  in  and 
set  me  on  a  chair  with  studs  of 
silver,  a  goodly  carven  chair,  and  beneath 
was  a  footstool  for  the  feet.  And  she 
made  me  a  potion  in  a  golden  cup,  that 
I  might  drink,  and  she  also  put  a  charm 
158 


therein,  in  the  evil  counsel  of  her  heart. 
Now  when  she  had  given  it  and  I  had 
drunk  it  off  and  was  not  bewitched, 
she  smote  me  with  her  wand  and  spake 
and  hailed  me : 

"  '  Go  thy  way  now  to  the  stye,  couch 
thee  there  with  the  rest  of  thy  com- 
pany.' 

"  So  spake  she,  but  I  drew  my  sharp 
sword  fro-m  my  thigh  and  sprang  upon 
Circe,  as  one  eager  to  slay  her.  But 
with  a  great  cry  she  slipped  under,  and 
clasped  my  knees,  and  bewailing  herself 
spake  to  me  winged  words : 

"  t  Who  art  thou  of  the  sons  of  men, 
and  whence  ?  Where  is  thy  city  ? 
Where  are  they  that  begat  thee  ?  I 
marvel  to  see  how  thou  hast  drunk  of 
this  charm,  and  wast  nowise  subdued. 
Nay,  for  there  lives  no  man  else  that 
is  proof  against  this  charm,  whoso  hath 
drunk  thereof,  and  once  it  hath  passed 
his  lips.  But  thou  hast,  methinks,  a  mind 
within  thee  that  may  not  be  enchanted. 
Verily  thou  art  Odysseus,  ready  at  need, 
who  he  of  the  golden  wand,  the  slayer 
of  Argos,  full  often  told  me  was  to  come 


hither,  on  his  way  from  Troy  with  his 
swift  black  ship.  Nay  come,  put  thy 
sword  into  the  sheath,  and  thereafter  let 
us  up  go  into  my  bed,  that  meeting  in  love 
and  sleep  we  may  trust  each  the  other.' 

"  So  spake  she,  but  I  answered  her, 
saying :  ^  Nay,  Circe,  how  canst  thou 
bid  me  be  gentle  to  thee,  who  hast 
turned  my  company  into  swine  within 
thy  halls,  and  holding  me  here  with 
guileful  heart  requirest  me  to  pass  within 
thy  chamber  and  go  up  into  thy  bed, 
that  so  thou  mayest  make  me  a  dastard 
and  unmanned  when  thou  hast  me 
naked  ?  Nay,  never  will  I  consent  to  go 
up  into  thy  bed,  except  thou  wilt  deign, 
goddess,  to  swear  a  mighty  oath,  that 
thou  wilt  plan  nought  else  of  mischief 
to  mine  own  hurt.' 

"  So  I  spake,  and  she  straightway 
swore  the  oath  not  to  harm  me,  as  I 
bade  her.  But  when  she  had  sworn  and 
had  done  that  oath,  then  at  last  I  went 
up  into  the  beautiful  bed  of  Circe. 

"  Now  all  this  while  her  handmaids 
busied  them  in  the  halls,  four  maidens 
that  are  her  serving  women  in  the  house. 
1 60 


They  are  born  of  the  wells  and  of  the 
woods  and  of  the  holy  rivers,  that  flow 
forward  into    the   salt    sea.       Of   these 
one  cast  upon  the  chairs  goodly  coverlets 
of    purple    above,    and    spread    a    linen 
cloth  thereunder.     And  lo,  another  drew 
up    silver    tables    to    the    chairs,    and 
thereon    set    for   them   golden    baskets. 
And  a  third  mixed  sweet  honey-hearted 
wine  in  a  silver  bowl,  and  set  out  cups 
of  gold.     And  a  fourth  bare  water,  and 
kindled  a  great  fire  beneath  the  mighty 
cauldron.      So  the  water  waxed  warm  ; 
but  when  it  boiled  in  the  bright  brazen 
vessel,  she  set  me  in  a  bath  and  bathed 
me  with  water  from  out  a  great  cauldron, 
pouring  it  over  head  and  shoulders,  when 
she  had  mixed  it  to  a  pleasant  warmth, 
till  from  my  limbs   she  took  away  the 
consuming  weariness.       Now  after   she 
had   bathed  me   and    anointed   me   well 
with  olive  oil,  and  cast  about  me  a  fair 
mantle  and  a  doublet,  she  led  me  irito 
the  halls  and  set  me  on    a   chair   with 
studs  of  silver,  a  goodly   carven   chair, 
and  beneath  was  a  footstool  for  the  feet. 
And    a    handmaid    bare  water    for    the 
i6i 


hands  in  a  goodly  ewer,  and  poured  it 
forth  over  a  silver  basin  to  vi^ash  withal  j 
and  to  my  side  she  drew  a  polished 
table,  and  a  grave  dame  bare  wheaten 
bread  and  set  it  by  me,  and  laid  on  the 
board  many  dainties,  giving  freely  of  such 
things  as  she  had  by  her.  And  she  bade 
me  eat,  but  my  soul  found  no  pleasure 
therein.  I  sat  with  other  thoughts,  and 
my  heart  had  a  boding  of  ill. 

"  Now  when  Circe  saw  that  I  sat 
thus,  and  that  I  put  not  forth  my  hands 
to  the  meat,  and  that  I  was  mightily 
afflicted,  she  drew  near  to  me  and  spake 
to  me  winged  words  : 

"'Wherefore  thus,  Odysseus,  dost 
thou  sit  there  like  a  speechless  man, 
consuming  thine  own  soul,  and  dost  not 
touch  meat  nor  drink  ?  Dost  thou  indeed 
deem  there  is  some  further  guile  ?  Nay, 
thou  hast  no  cause  to  fear,  for  already 
I  have  sworn  thee  a  strong  oath  not  to 
harm  thee.* 

"  So  spake  she,  but  I  answered  her, 

saying :     '  Oh,    Circe,    what    righteous 

man  would  have  the  heart  to  taste  meat 

and  drink  ere  he  had  redeemed  his  com- 

162 


pany,  and  beheld  them  face  to  face  ? 
But  if  in  good  faith  thou  biddest  me  eat 
and  drink,  then  let  them  go  free,  that 
mine  eyes  may  behold  my  dear  com- 
panions.' 

"So  I  spake,  and  Circe  passed  out 
through  the  hall  with  the  wand  in  her 
hand,  and  opened  the  doors  of  the  stye, 
and  drave  them  forth  in  the  shape  of 
swine  of  nine  seasons  old.  There  they 
stood  before  her,  and  she  went  through 
their  midst,  and  anointed  each  one  of 
them  with  another  charm.  And  lo, 
from  their  limbs  the  bristles  dropped 
away,  wherewith  the  venom  had  erewhile 
clothed  them,  that  lady  Circe  gave  them. 
And  they  became  men  again,  younger 
than  before  they  were,  and  goodlier  far 
and  taller  to  behold.  And  they  all  knew 
me  again  and  each  one  took  my  hands, 
and  wistful  was  the  lament  that  sank 
into  their  souls,  and  the  roof  rang  won- 
drously.  And  even  the  goddess  herself 
was  moved  with  compassion. 

*'  So  there  we  sat  day  by  day  for  the 
full  circle  of  a  year,  feasting  on  abundant 
flesh  and  sweet  wine.  But  when  now 
163 


a  year  had  gone,  and  the  seasons  re- 
turned as  the  months  waned,  and  the 
long  days  came  in  their  course,  then  did 
my  dear  company  call  me  forth,  and 
say  : 

" '  Good  sir,  now  is  it  high  time  to 
mind  thee  of  thy  native  land,  if  it  is 
ordained  that  thou  shalt  be  saved,  and 
come  to  thy  lofty  house  and  thine  own 
country.' 

"  So  spake  they  and  my  lordly  spirit 
consented  thereto.  So  for  that  time  we 
sat  the  livelong  day  till  the  going  down 
of  the  sun,  feasting  on  abundant  flesh 
and  sweet  wine.  But  when  the  sun 
sank  and  darkness  came  on,  they  laid 
them  to  rest  throughout  the  shadowy 
halls. 

*'  But  when  I  had  gone  up  into  the 
fair  bed  of  Circe,  I  besought  her  by  her 
knees,  and  the  goddess  heard  my  speech, 
and  uttering  my  voice  I  spake  to  her 
winged  words  :  '  Circe,  fulfil  for  me  the 
promise  which  thou  madest  me  to  send 
me  on  my  homeward  way.  Now  is  my 
spirit  eager  to  be  gone,  and  the  spirit  of 
my  company,  that  wear  away  my  heart 
164 


as  they  mourn  around  me,  when  haply 
thou  art  gone  from  us.' 

"  So  spake  I,  and  the  fair  goddess 
answered  me  anon  :  '  Son  of  Laertes,  of 
the  seed  of  Zeus,  Odysseus  of  many 
devices,  tarry  ye  now  no  longer  in  my 
house  against  your  will ;  but  first  must 
ye  perform  another  journey,  and  reach 
the  dwelling  of  Hades  and  of  dread  Per- 
sephone to  seek  to  the  spirit  of  Theban 
Teiresias,  the  blind  soothsayer,  whose  wits 
abide  steadfast.  To  him  Persephone 
hath  given  judgment,  even  in  death,  that 
he  alone  should  have  understanding ;  but 
the  other  souls  sweep  shadow-like  around.' 

"  So  spake  she,  and  anon  came  the 
golden  throned  Dawn.  Then  she  put 
on  me  a  mantle  and  a  doublet  for  raiment, 
and  the  nymph  clad  herself  in  a  great 
shining  robe,  light  of  woof  and  gracious, 
and  about  her  waist  she  cast  a  fair 
golden  girdle,  and  put  a  veil  upon  her 
head.  But  I  passed  through  the  halls 
and  roused  my  men  with  smooth  words, 
standing  by  each  one  in  turn  : 

" '  Sleep  ye  now  no  more  nor  breathe 
sweet  slumber;  but  let  us  go  on  our 
165 


way,  for  surely  she  hath  shown  me  all, 
the  lady  Circe.' 

*'  So  spake  I,  and  their  lordly  soul 
consented  thereto.  Yet  even  thence  I 
led  not  my  company  safe  away.  There 
was  one,  Elpenor,  the  youngest  of  us  all, 
not  very  valiant  in  war  neither  steadfast 
in  mind.  He  was  lying  apart  from  the 
rest  of  my  men  on  the  housetop  of  Circe's 
sacred  dwelling,  very  fain  of  the  cool  air, 
as  one  heavy  with  wine.  Now  when  he 
heard  the  noise  of  the  voices  and  of  the 
feet  of  my  fellows  as  they  moved  to  and 
fro,  he  leaped  up  of  a  sudden  and  minded 
him  not  to  descend  again  by  the  way 
of  the  tall  ladder,  but  fell  right  down 
from  the  roof,  and  his  neck  was  bro- 
ken from  the  bones  of  the  spine,  and  his 
spirit  went  down  to  the  house  of  Hades. 

"  Then  I  spake  among  my  men  as 
they  went  on  their  way,  saying :  *  Ye 
deem  now,  I  see,  that  ye  are  going  to 
your  own  dear  country ;  but  Circe  hath 
showed  us  another  way,  even  to  the 
dwelling  of  Hades  and  of  dread  Perseph- 
one, to  seek  to  the  spirit  of  Theban 
Teiresias.' 

i66 


"  Even  so  I  spake,  but  their  heart 
within  them  was  broken,  and  they  sat 
them  down  even  where  they  were,  and 
made  lament  and  tore  their  hair.  How- 
beit  no  help  came  of  their  weeping. 

"  But  as  we  were  now  wending  sorrow- 
ful to  the  swift  ship  and  the  sea-banks, 
shedding  big  tears,  Circe  meanwhile 
had  gone  her  ways  and  made  fast  a  ram 
and  a  black  ewe  by  the  dark  ship,  lightly 
passing  us  by :  who  may  behold  a  god 
against  his  will,  whether  going  to  or 
fro  ? " 


167 


XVII. 

ODYSSEUS   VISITS   HADES 

"  Now  when  we  had  gone  down  to 
the  ship  and  to  the  sea,  first  of  all  we 
drew  the  ship  unto  the  fair  salt  water, 
and  placed  the  mast  and  sails  in  the 
black  ship,  and  took  those  sheep  and  put 
them  therein,  and  ourselves  too  climbed 
on  board,  sorrowing,  and  shedding  big 
tears.  And  in  the  wake  of  our  dark- 
prowed  ship  she  sent  a  favouring  wind 
l68 


that  filled  the  sails,  a  kindly  escort, — 
even  Circe  of  the  braided  tresses,  a  dread 
goddess  of  human  speech.  And  we  set 
in  order  all  the  gear  throughout  the  ship 
and  sat  us  down ;  and  the  wind  and  the 
helmsman  guided  our  barque.  And  all 
day  long  her  sails  were  stretched  in  her 
seafaring ;  and  the  sun  sank  and  all  the 
ways  were  darkened. 

"  She  came  to  the  limits  of  the  world, 
to  the  deep  flowing  Oceanus.  There  is 
the  land  and  the  city  of  the  Cimmerians, 
shrouded  in  mist  and  cloud,  and  never 
does  the  shining  sun  look  down  on  them 
with  his  rays,  neither  when  he  climbs  up 
the  starry  heavens,  nor  when  again  he 
turns  earthward  from  the  firmament,  but 
deadly  night  is  outspread  over  miserable 
mortals.  Thither  we  came  and  ran  the 
ship  ashore  and  took  out  the  sheep ;  but 
for  our  part  we  held  on  our  way  along  the 
stream  of  Oceanus,  till  we  came  to  the 
place  which  Circe  had  declared  to  us.  .  .  . 

"  But  when  I  had  besought  the  tribes 

of  the  dead  with    vows   and  prayers,  I 

took  the  sheep  and  cut  their  throats  over 

the  trench,   and  the  dark  blood   flowed 

169 


forth,  and  lo,  the  spirits  of  the  dead  that 
be  departed  gathered  them  from  out  of 
Erebus.  Brides  and  youths  unwed,  and 
old  men  of  many  and  evil  days,  and 
tender  maidens  with  grief  yet  fresh  at 
heart ;  and  many  there  were,  wounded 
with  bronze-shod  spears,  men  slain  in 
fight  with  their  bloody  mail  about  them. 
And  these  many  ghosts  flocked  together 
from  every  side  about  the  trench  with  a 
wondrous  cry,  and  pale  fear  gat  hold  on 
me.   .   .  . 

''  And  first  came  the  soul  of  Elpenor, 
my  companion,  that  had  not  yet  been 
buried  beneath  the  wide-wayed  earth  j 
for  we  left  the  corpse  behind  us  in  the 
hall  of  Circe,  unwept  and  unburied,  see- 
ing that  another  task  was  instant  on  us. 
At  the  sight  of  him  I  wept  and  had 
compassion  on  him,  and  uttering  my 
voice  spake  to  him  winged  words  :  *  El- 
penor, how  hast  thou  come  beneath  the 
darkness  and  the  shadow  ?  Thou  hast 
come  fleeter  on  foot  than  I  in  my  black 
ship.' 

"  So  spake  I,  and  with  a  moan  he 
answered  me,  saying :  '  Son  of  Laertes, 
170 


of  the  seed  of  Zeus,  Odysseus  of  many 
devices,  an  evil  doom  of  some  god  was 
my  bane  and  wine  out  of  measure. 
When  I  laid  me  down  on  the  house-top 
of  Circe,  I  minded  me  not  to  descend 
again  by  the  way  of  the  tall  ladder,  but 
fell  right  down  from  the  roof,  and  my 
neck  was  broken  off  from  the  bones  of 
the  spine,  and  my  spirit  went  down 
to  the  house  of  Hades.  And  now  I  pray 
thee  in  the  name  of  those  whom  we  left, 
who  are  no  more  with  us,  thy  wife,  and 
thy  sire  who  cherished  thee  when  as  yet 
thou  wert  a  little  one,  and  Telemachus, 
whom  thou  did  leave  in  thy  halls  alone ; 
forasmuch  as  I  know  that  on  thy  way 
hence  from  out  the  dwelling  of  Hades, 
thou  wilt  stay  thy  well-wrought  ship  at 
the  isle  Aeaean,  even  then,  my  lord,  I 
charge  thee  to  think  on  me.  Leave  me 
not  unwept  and  unburied  as  thou  goest 
hence,  nor  turn  thy  back  upon  me,  lest 
haply  I  bring  on  thee  the  anger  of  the 
gods.  Nay,  burn  me  there  with  mine 
armour,  all  that  is  mine,  and  pile  me 
a  barrow  on  the  shore  of  the  gray  sea, 
the  grave  of  a  luckless  man,  that  even 
171 


men  unborn  may  hear  my  story.  Fulfil 
me  this  and  plant  upon  the  barrow  mine 
oar,  wherewith  I  rowed  in  the  days  of 
my  life,  while  yet  I  was  among  my 
fellows.' 

"  Even  so  he  spake,  and  I  answered 
him  saying  :  '  All  this,  luckless  man,  will 
I  perform  for  thee  and  do.'  .  .  . 

"  Anon  came  the  soul  of  Theban 
Teiresias,  with  a  golden  sceptre  in  his 
hand,  and  he  knew  me  and  spake  unto 
me :  '  Son  of  Laertes,  of  the  seed  of 
Zeus,  Odysseus  of  many  devices,  what 
seekest  thou  now^  wretched  man,  where- 
fore hast  thou  left  the  sunlight  and  come 
hither  to  behold  the  dead  and  a  land 
desolate  of  joy  ?  Nay,  hold  ofF  from  the 
ditch  and  draw  back  thy  sharp  sword, 
that  I  may  drink  of  the  blood  and  tell 
thee  sooth.* 

''  So  spake  he  and  I  put  up  my  silver- 
studded  sword  into  the  sheath,  and  when 
he  had  drunk  the  dark  blood,  even  then 
did  the  noble  seer  speak  unto  me,  saying  : 
'  Thou  art  asking  of  thy  sweet  return- 
ing, great  Odysseus,  but  that  will  the 
god  make  hard  for  thee ;  for  methinks 
172 


thou  shalt  not  pass  unheeded  by  the 
Shaker  of  the  Earth,  who  hath  laid  up 
wrath  in  his  heart  against  thee,  for  rage 
at  the  blinding  of  his  dear  son.  Yet 
even  so,  through  many  troubles,  ye  may 
come  home,  if  thou  wilt  restrain  thy 
spirit  and  the  spirit  of  thy  men  so  soon 
as  thou  shalt  bring  thy  well-wrought 
ship  nigh  to  the  isle  Thrinacia,  fleeing 
the  sea  of  violet  blue,  when  ye  find  the 
herds  of  Helios  grazing  and  his  brave 
flocks,  of  Helios  who  overseeth  all  and 
overheareth  all  things.  If  thou  doest 
these  no  hurt,  being  heedful  of  thy  re- 
turn, so  may  ye  yet  reach  Ithaca,  albeit 
in  evil  case.  But  if  thou  hurtest  them, 
I  foreshow  ruin  for  thy  ship  and  for  thy 
men,  and  even  though  thou  shalt  thyself 
escape,  late  shalt  thou  return  in  evil 
plight,  with  the  loss  of  all  thy  company, 
on  board  the  ship  of  strangers,  and  thou 
shalt  find  sorrows  in  thy  house,  even 
proud  men  that  devour  thy  living,  while 
they  woo  thy  godlike  wife  and  offer  the 
gifts  of  wooing.  Yet  I  tell  thee,  on  thy 
coming  thou  shalt  avenge  their  violence. 
But  when  thou  hast  slain  the  wooers  in 
^7Z 


thy  halls,  whether  by  guile,  or  openly 
with  the  edge  of  the  sword,  thereafter  go 
thy  way,  taking  with  thee  a  shapen  oar, 
till  thou  shalt  come  to  such  men  as 
know  not  the  sea,  neither  eat  meat  sa- 
voured with  salt ;  yea,  nor  have  they 
knowledge  of  ships  of  purple  cheek,  nor 
shapen  oars  which  serve  for  wings  to 
ships.  And  I  will  give  thee  a  most  mani- 
fest token,  which  cannot  escape  thee. 
In  the  day  when  another  wayfarer  shall 
meet  thee  and  say  that  thou  hast  a  win- 
nowing fan  on  thy  stout  shoulder,  even 
then  make  fast  thy  shapen  oar  in  the 
earth  and  do  goodly  sacrifice  to  the  lord 
Poseidon,  even  with  a  ram  and  a  bull 
and  a  boar,  the  mate  of  swine,  and  depart 
for  home  and  offer  holy  hecatombs  to 
the  deathless  gods  that  keep  the  wide 
heaven,  to  each  in  order  due.  And 
from  the  sea  shall  thine  own  death  come, 
the  gentlest  death  that  may  be,  which 
shall  end  thee  foredone  with  smooth  old 
age,  and  the  folk  shall  dwell  happily 
around  thee.  This  that  I  say  is  sooth.' 
"  So  spake  he,  and  I  answered  him, 
saying :  '  Teiresias,  all  these  threads, 
174 


methinks,  the  gods  themselves  have 
spun.'.  .  . 

"  Now  when  holy  Persephone  had 
scattered  this  way  and  that  the  spirits  of 
the  women  folk,  thereafter  came  the  soul 
of  Agamemnon,  son  of  Atreus,  sorrow- 
ing ;  and  round  him  others  were  gathered, 
the  ghosts  of  them  who  had  died  with 
him  in  the  house  of  Aegisthus  and  met 
their  doom.  And  he  knew  me  straight- 
way when  he  had  drunk  the  dark  blood, 
yea,  and  he  wept  aloud,  and  shed  big 
tears  as  he  stretched  forth  his  hands  in 
his  longing  to  reach  me.  But  it  might  not 
be,  for  he  had  now  no  steadfast  strength 
nor  power  at  all  in  moving,  such  as  was 
aforetime  in  his  supple  limbs. 

"  At  the  sight  of  him  I  wept  and  was 
moved  with  compassion,  and  uttering  my 
voice,  spake  to  him  winged  words : 
'  Most  renowned  son  of  Atreus,  Aga- 
memnon, king  of  men,  say  what  doom 
overcame  thee  of  death  that  lays  men  at 
their  length  ?  Did  Poseidon  smite  thee 
in  thy  ships,  raising  the  dolorous  blast 
of  contrary  winds,  or  did  unfriendly  men 
do  thee  hurt  upon  the  land,  whilst  thou 

175 


wert  cutting  off  their  oxen  and  fair  flocks 
of  sheep,  or  fighting  to  win  a  city  and 
the  women  thereof? ' 

"  So  spake  I,  and  straightway  he 
answered,  and  said  unto  me :  *■  Son  of 
Laertes,  of  the  seed  of  Zeus,  Odysseus 
of  many  devices,  it  was  not  Poseidon 
that  smote  me  in  my  ships,  and  raised 
the  dolorous  blast  of  contrary  winds,  nor 
did  unfriendly  men  do  me  hurt  upon  the 
land,  but  Aegisthus  it  was  that  wrought 
me  death  and  doom  and  slew  me,  with 
the  aid  of  my  accursed  wife,  as  one  slays 
an  ox  at  the  stall,  after  he  had  bidden 
me  to  his  house,  and  entertained  me  at 
a  feast.  Even  so  I  died  by  a  death 
most  pitiful,  and  round  me  my  company 
likewise  were  slain  without  ceasing,  like 
swine  with  glittering  tusks  which  are 
slaughtered  in  the  house  of  a  rich  and 
mighty  man,  whether  at  a  wedding 
banquet  or  a  joint-feast  or  a  rich  clan- 
drinking.  Ere  now  hast  thou  been  at 
the  slaying  of  many  a  man,  killed  in 
single  fight  or  in  strong  battle,  yet  thou 
wouldst  have  sorrowed  the  most  at  this 
sight,  how  we  lay  in  the  hall  round  the 
176 


mixing-bowl  and  the  laden  boards,  and 
the  floor  all  ran  with  blood.  And  most 
pitiful  of  all  that  I  heard  was  the  voice 
of  the  daughter  of  Priam,  of  Cassandra, 
whom  hard  by  me  the  crafty  Clytem- 
nestra  slew.  Then  I  strove  to  raise  my 
hands  as  I  was  dying  upon  the  sword, 
but  to  earth  they  fell.  And  that  shame- 
less one  turned  her  back  upon  me,  and 
had  not  the  heart  to  draw  down  my 
eyelids  with  her  fingers  nor  to  close 
my  mouth.  So  surely  is  there  nought 
more  terrible  and  shameless  than  a 
women  who  imagines  such  evil  in  her 
heart,  even  as  she  too  planned  a  foul 
deed,  fashioning  death  for  her  wedded 
lord.  Verily  I  had  thought  to  come 
home  most  welcome  to  my  children  and 
my  thralls ;  but  she,  out  of  the  depth  of 
her  evil  knowledge,  hath  shed  shame 
on  herself  and  on  all  womankind,  which 
shall  be  for  ever,  even  on  the  upright.' 

"  Even  so  he  spake,  but  I  answered 
him,  saying :  '  Lo  now,  in  very  sooth, 
hath  Zeus  of  the  far-borne  voice  wreaked 
wondrous  hatred  on  the  seed  of  Atreus 
through  the  counsels  of  woman  from  of 
177 


old.  For  Helen's  sake  so  many  of  us  per- 
ished, and  now  Clytemnestra  hath  prac- 
tised treason  against  thee,  while  yet  thou 
wast  afar  off.' 

"  Even  so  I  spake,  and  anon  he 
answered  me,  saying :  '  Wherefore  do 
thou  too,  never  henceforth  be  soft  even 
to  thy  wife,  neither  show  her  all  the 
counsel  that  thou  knowest,  but  a  part 
declare  and  let  part  be  hid.  Yet  shalt 
not  thou,  Odysseus,  find  death  at  the 
hand  of  thy  wife,  for  she  is  very  discreet 
and  prudent  in  all  her  ways,  the  wise 
Penelope,  daughter  of  Icarius.  Verily  we 
left  her  a  bride  new  wed  when  we  went 
to  the  war,  and  a  child  was  at  her  breast, 
who  now,  methinks,  sits  in  the  ranks  of 
men,  happy  in  his  lot,  for  his  dear  father 
shall  behold  him  on  his  coming,  and  he 
shall  embrace  his  sire  as  is  meet.  But 
as  for  my  wife,  she  suffered  me  not  so 
much  as  to  have  my  fill  of  gazing  on  my 
son ;  ere  that  she  slew  me,  even  her 
lord.  And  yet  another  thing  will  I  tell 
thee,  and  do  thou  ponder  it  in  thy  heart. 
Put  thy  ship  to  land  in  secret,  and  not 
openly,  on  the  shore  of  thy  dear  coun- 
178 


try  j  for  there  is  no  more  faith  in 
woman.  But  come,  declare  me  this  and 
plainly  tell  it  all,  if  haply  ye  hear  of  my 
son  as  yet  living,  either,  it  may  be,  in 
Orchomenus  or  in  sandy  Pylos,  or  per- 
chance with  Menelaus  in  wide  Sparta, 
for  goodly  Orestes  hath  not  yet  perished 
on  the  earth.' 

"  Even  so  he  spake,  but  I  answered 
him,  saying  :  '  Son  of  Atreus,  wherefore 
dost  thou  ask  me  straitly  of  these  things  ? 
Nay  I  know  not  at  all,  whether  he  be 
alive  or  dead;  it  is  ill  to  speak  words 
light  as  wind.' 

"Thus  we  twain  stood  sorrowing, 
holding  sad  discourse,  while  the  big  tears 
fell  fast ;  and  therewithal  came  the  soul 
of  Achilles,  son  of  Peleus,  and  of  Patro- 
clus  and  of  noble  Antilochus  and  of  Aias, 
who  in  face  and  form  was  goodliest  of 
all  the  Danaans,  after  the  noble  son 
of  Peleus.  And  the  spirit  of  the  son  of 
Aeacus,  fleet  of  foot,  knew  me  again,  and 
making  lament  spake  to  me  winged 
words : 

"'Son    of   Laertes,  of   the    seed    of 
Zeus,  Odysseus  of  many  devices,  man 
179 


overbold,  what  new  deed  and  hardier 
than  this  wilt  thou  devise  in  thy  heart  ? 
How  durst  thou  come  down  to  the 
house  of  Hades,  where  dwell  the  sense- 
less dead,  the  phantoms  of  men  out- 
worn ? ' 

"  So  he  spake,  but  I  answered  him : 
'Achilles,  son  of  Peleus,  mightiest  far 
of  the  Achaeans,  I  am  come  hither  to 
seek  Teiresias,  if  he  may  tell  me  any 
counsel,  how  I  may  come  to  rugged 
Ithaca.  For  not  yet  have  I  come  nigh 
the  Achaean  land,  nor  set  foot  on  mine 
own  soil,  but  am  still  in  evil  case ;  while 
as  for  thee,  Achilles,  none  other  than 
thou  wast  heretofore  the  most  blessed  of 
men,  nor  shall  any  be  hereafter.  For 
of  old,  in  the  days  of  thy  life,  we  Argives 
gave  thee  one  honour  with  the  gods,  and 
now  thou  art  a  great  prince  here  among 
the  dead.  Wherefore  let  not  thy  death 
be  any  grief  to  thee,  Achilles.' 

"  Even  so  I  spake,  and  he  straightway 
answered  me,  and  said  :  '  Nay,  speak  not 
comfortably  to  me  of  death,  oh  great  Odys- 
seus. Rather  would  I  live  on  ground 
as  the  hireling  of  another,  with  a  land- 
i8o 


less  man  who  had  no  great  livelihood, 
than  bear  sway  among  all  the  dead  that 
be  departed.'  .  .  . 

"  There  then  I  saw  Minos,  glorious 
son  of  Zeus,  wielding  a  golden  sceptre, 
giving  sentence  from  his  throne  to  the 
dead,  while  they  sat  and  stood  around 
the  prince,  asking  his  dooms  through 
the  wide-gated  house  of  Hades. 

"  And  after  him  I  marked  the  mighty 
Orion  driving  the  wild  beasts  together 
over  the  mead  of  asphodel,  the  very 
beasts  that  himself  had  slain  on  the  lonely 
hills,  with  a  strong  mace  all  of  bronze 
in  his  hands,  that  is  ever  unbroken. 

"  And  I  saw  Tityos,  son  of  renowned 
Earth,  lying  on  a  levelled  ground,  and 
he  covered  nine  roods  as  he  lay,  and  vul- 
tures twain  beset  him  one  on  either 
side,  and  gnawed  at  his  liver,  piercing 
even  to  the  caul,  but  he  drave  them  not 
away  with  his  hands.  For  he  had  dealt 
violently  with  Leto,  the  famous  bed- 
fellow of  Zeus,  as  she  went  up  to  Pytho 
through  the  fair  lawns  of  Panopeus. 

"  Moreover  I  beheld  Tantalus  in 
grievous  torment,  standing  in  a  mere 
i8i 


and  the  water  came  nigh  unto  his  chin. 
And  he  stood  straining  as  one  athirst, 
but  he  might  not  attain  to  the  water  to 
drink  of  it.  For  often  as  that  old 
man  stooped  down  in  his  eagerness  to 
drink,  so  often  the  water  was  swallowed 
up  and  it  vanished  away,  and  the  black 
earth  still  showed  at  his  feet,  for  some 
god  parched  it  evermore.  And  tall  trees 
flowering  shed  their  fruit  overhead,  pears 
and  pomegranates  and  apple  trees  with 
bright  fruit,  and  sweet  figs  and  olives  in 
their  bloom,  whereat  when  that  old  man 
reached  out  his  hands  to  clutch  them, 
the  wind  would  toss  them  to  the 
shadowy  clouds. 

"  Yea  and  I  beheld  Sisyphus  in  strong 
torment,  grasping  a  monstrous  stone 
with  both  his  hands.  He  was  pressing 
thereat  with  hands  and  feet,  and  trying 
to  roll  the  stone  upward  toward  the  brow 
of  the  hill.  But  oft  as  he  was  about  to 
hurl  it  over  the  top,  the  weight  would 
drive  him  back,  so  once  again  to  the 
plain  rolled  the  stone,  the  shameless 
thing.  And  he  once  more  kept  heaving 
and  straining,  and  the  sweat  the  while 
182 


was   pouring   down   his   limbs,    and  the 
dust  rose  upwards  from  his  head. 

"  And  after  him  I  descried  the  mighty 
Heracles,  his  phantom,  I  say  ;  but  as  for 
himself  he  hath  joy  at  the  banquet  among 
the  deathless  gods,  and  hath  to  wife  Hebe 
of  the  fair  ankles,  child  of  great  Zeus, 
and  of  Here  of  the  golden  sandals.  And 
all  about  him  there  was  a  clamour  of 
the  dead,  as  it  were  fowls  flying  every 
way  in  fear,  and  he  like  black  Night, 
with  bow  uncased,  and  shaft  upon  the 
string,  fiercely  glancing  around,  like  one 
in  the  act  to  shoot.  And  about  his  breast 
was  an  awful  belt,  a  baldric  of  gold, 
whereon  wondrous  things  were  wrought, 
bears  and  wild  boars  and  lions  with 
flashing  eyes,  and  strife  and  battles  and 
slaughters  and  murders  of  men.  Nay, 
now  that  he  hath  fashioned  this,  never 
another  may  he  fashion,  whoso  stored  in 
his  craft  the  device  of  that  belt  !  And 
anon  he  knew  me  when  his  eyes  beheld 
me,  and  making  lament  he  spake  unto 
me  winged  words : 

"  *  Son  of  Laertes,  of  the  seed  of  Zeus, 
Odysseus  of  many  devices  :  ah  !  wretched 

183 


one,  dost  thou  too  lead  such  a  life  of 
evil  doom,  as  I  endured  beneath  the  rays 
of  the  sun  ?  I  was  the  son  of  Zeus 
Cronion,  yet  had  I  trouble  beyond 
measure,  for  I  was  subdued  unto  a  man 
far  worse  than  I.  And  he  enjoined  on 
me  hard  adventures,  yea  and  on  a  time 
he  sent  me  hither  to  bring  back  the 
hound  of  hell  ;  for  he  devised  no  harder 
task  for  me  than  this.  I  lifted  the  hound 
and  brought  him  forth  from  out  of  the 
house  of  Hades ;  and  Hermes  sped  me 
on  my  way  and  the  gray-eyed  Athene.' 

"  Therewith  he  departed  again  into  the 
house  of  Hades,  but  I  abode  there  still, 
if  perchance  some  one  of  the  hero  folk 
besides  might  come,  who  died  in  old 
time.  Yea  and  I  should  have  seen 
the  men  of  old,  whom  I  was  fain  to  look 
on,  Theseus  and  Peirithous,  renowned 
children  of  the  gods.  But  ere  that 
might  be  the  myriad  tribes  of  the  dead 
thronged  up  together  with  wondrous 
clamour  :  and  pale  fear  gat  hold  of  me, 
lest  the  high  goddess  Persephone  should 
send  me  the  head  of  the  Gorgon,  that 
dread  monster,  from  out  of  Hades. 
184 


"Straightway  then  I  went  to  the 
ship,  and  bade  my  men  mount  the  vessel, 
and  loose  the  hawsers.  So  speedily  they 
went  on  board,  and  sat  upon  the 
benches.  And  the  wave  of  the  flood 
bore  the  barque  down  the  stream  of 
Oceanus,  we  rowing  first,  and  afterwards 
the  fair  wind  was  our  convoy.  .  .  . 

"  Meanwhile  our  good  ship  quickly 
came  to  the  island  of  the  Sirens  twain, 
for  a  gentle  breeze  sped  her  on  her  way. 
Then  straightway  the  wind  ceased,  and 
lo,  there  was  a  windless  calm,  and  some 
god  lulled  the  waves.  Then  my  com- 
pany rose  up  and  drew  in  the  ship's 
sails,  and  stowed  them  in  the  hold  of  the 
ship,  while  they  sat  at  the  oars  and 
whitened  the  water  with  their  polished 
pine  blades.  But  I  with  my  sharp 
sword  cleft  in  pieces  a  great  circle  of 
wax,  and  with  my  strong  hands  kneaded 
it.  And  soon  the  wax  grew  warm,  for 
that  my  great  might  constrained  it,  and 
the  beam  of  the  lord  Helios,  son  of  Hy- 
perion. And  I  anointed  therewith  the 
ears  of  all  my  men  in  their  order,  and  in 
the  ship  they  bound  me  hand  and  foot 
185 


upright  in  the  mast-stead,  and  from  the 
mast  they  fastened  rope-ends  and  them- 
selves sat  down,  and  smote  the  gray  sea 
water  with  their  oars.  But  when  the  ship 
was  within  the  sound  of  a  man's  shout 
from  the  land,  we  fleeing  swiftly  on  our 
way,  the  Sirens  espied  the  swift  ship 
speeding  toward  them,  and  they  raised 
their  clear-toned  song : 

" '  Hither,  come  hither,  renowned 
Odysseus,  great  glory  of  the  Achaeans, 
here  stay  thy  barque,  that  thou  mayest 
listen  to  the  voice  of  us  twain.  For 
none  hath  ever  driven  by  this  way  in  his 
black  ship,  till  he  hath  heard  from  our 
lips  the  voice  sweet  as  the  honeycomb, 
and  hath  had  joy  thereof  and  gone  on  his 
way  the  wiser.  For  lo,  we  know  all 
things,  all  the  travail  that  in  wide  Troy- 
land  the  Argives  and  Trojans  bare  by 
the  gods'  designs,  yea,  and  we  know  all 
that  shall  hereafter  be  upon  the  fruitful 
earth.' 

*'  So    spake    they     uttering   a    sweet 

voice,  and  my  heart  was  fain  to  listen, 

and    I    bade   my    company   unbind   me, 

nodding  at  them  with  a  frown,  but  they 

i86 


bent  to  their  oars  and  rowed  on.  Then 
straight  uprose  Perimedes  and  Eury- 
lochus  and  bound  me  with  more  cords 
and  straitened  me  yet  the  more.  Now 
when  we  had  driven  past  them,  nor 
heard  we  any  longer  the  sound  of  the 
Sirens  or  their  song,  forthwith  my  dear 
company  took  away  the  wax  wherewith 
I  had  anointed  their  ears  and  loosened 
me  from  my  bonds.  .  .  . 

"  Next  we  began  to  sail  up  the  nar- 
row strait  lamenting.  For  on  the  one 
hand  lay  Scylla,  and  on  the  other 
mighty  Charybdis  in  terrible  wise 
sucked  down  the  salt  sea  water.  As  of- 
ten as  she  belched  it  forth,  like  a  cauldron 
on  a  great  fire  she  would  seethe  up 
through  all  her  troubled  deeps,  and  over- 
head the  spray  fell  on  the  tops  of  either 
clifF.  But  oft  as  she  gulped  down  the 
salt  sea  water,  within  she  was  all  plain 
to  see  through  her  troubled  deeps,  and 
the  rock  around  roared  horribly  and  be- 
neath the  earth  was  manifest  swart  with 
sand,  and  pale  fear  gat  hold  on  my  men. 

"  Toward  her,  then,  we  looked  fearing 
destruction  ;  but  Scylla  meanwhile  caught 
187 


from  out  my  hollow  ship  six  of  my 
company,  the  hardiest  of  their  hands 
and  the  chief  in  might.  And  looking 
into  the  swift  ship  to  find  my  men,  even 
then  I  marked  their  feet  and  hands  as 
they  were  lifted  on  high,  and  they  cried 
aloud  in  their  agony,  and  called  me  by 
my  name  for  that  last  time  of  all.  Even 
as  when  a  fisher  on  some  headland  lets 
down  with  a  long  rod  his  baits  for  a 
snare  to  the  little  fishes  below,  casting 
into  the  deep  the  horn  of  an  ox  of  the 
homestead,  and  as  he  catches  each  flings 
it  writhing  ashore,  so  writhing  were  they 
borne  upward  to  the  clifF.  And  there 
she  devoured  them  shrieking  in  her  gates, 
they  stretching  forth  their  hands  to  me  in 
the  dread  death-struggle.  And  the  most 
pitiful  thing  was  this  that  mine  eyes 
have  seen  of  all  my  travail  in  searching 
out  the  paths  of  the  sea. 

"Now  when  we  had  escaped  the  Rocks 
and  dread  Charybdis  and  Scylla,  there- 
after we  soon  came  to  the  fair  island  of 
the  god  ;  where  were  the  goodly  kine, 
broad  of  brow,  and  the  many  brave  flocks 
of  Helios  Hyperion.  Then  while  as  yet  I 
i88 


was  in  my  black  ship  upon  the  deep,  I 
heard  the  lowing  of  the  cattle  being 
stalled  and  the  bleating  of  the  sheep,  and 
on  my  mind  there  fell  the  saying  of  the 
blind  seer,  Theban  Teiresias,  and  of 
Circe  of  Aia,  who  charged  me  very 
straitly  to  shun  the  isle  of  Helios,  the 
gladdener  of  the  world.  Then  I  spake  out 
among  my  company  in  sorrow  of  heart : 

"  '  Hear  my  words,  my  men,  albeit  in 
evil  plight,  that  I  may  declare  unto  you 
the  oracles  of  Teiresias  and  of  Circe  of 
Aia,  who  very  straitly  charged  me  to 
shun  the  isle  of  Helios,  the  gladdener 
of  the  world.  For  there  she  said  the 
most  dreadful  mischief  would  befal  us. 
Nay,  drive  ye  then  the  black  ship  beyond 
and  past  that  isle.' 

"  So  spake  I,  and  their  heart  was 
broken  within  them.  And  Eurylochus 
straightway  answered  me  sadly,  saying  : 

"  *■  Hardy  art  thou,  Odysseus,  of  might 
beyond  measure,  and  thy  limbs  are  never 
weary ;  verily  thou  art  fashioned  all  of 
iron,  that  sufferest  not  thy  fellows,  fore- 
done  with  toil  and  drowsiness,  to  set  foot 
on  shore,  where  we  might  presently 
189 


/ 


prepare  us  a  good  supper  in  this  sea- 
girt island.  But  even  as  we  are  thou 
biddest  us  fare  blindly  through  the  sud- 
den night,  and  from  the  isle  go  wandering 
on  the  misty  deep.'   .  .   . 

"  Then  swiftly  to  Helios  Hyperion 
came  Lampetie  of  the  long  robes,  with 
the  tidings  that  we  had  slain  his  kine. 
And  straight  he  spake  with  angry  heart 
amid  the  Immortals : 

" '  Father  Zeus,  and  all  ye  other 
blessed  gods  that  live  for  ever,  take  ven- 
geance I  pray  you  on  the  company  of 
Odysseus,  son  of  Laertes,  that  have 
insolently  slain  my  cattle,  wherein  I  was 
wont  to  be  glad  as  I  went  toward  the 
starry  heaven,  and  when  I  again  turned 
earthward  from  the  firmament.  And  if 
they  pay  me  not  full  atonement  for  the 
cattle,  I  will  go  down  to  Hades  and  shine 
among  the  dead.' 

"  And  Zeus  the  cloud-gatherer  an- 
swered him,  saying :  '  Helios,  do  thou,  I 
say,  shine  on  amidst  the  deathless  gods, 
and  amid  mortal  men  upon  the  earth,  the 
grain-giver.  But  as  for  me,  I  will  soon 
smite  their  swift  ship  with  my  white 
190 


bolt,  and  cleave  it  in  pieces  in  the  midst 
of  the  wine-dark  deep.' 

"  This  I  heard  from  Calypso  of  the  fair 
hair;  and  she  said  that  she  herself  had 
heard  it  from  Hermes  the  Messenger. 

"  But  when  I  had  come  down  to  the 
ship  and  to  the  sea,  I  went  up  to  my 
companions  and  rebuked  them  one  by 
one  ;  but  we  could  find  no  remedy,  the 
cattle  were  dead  and  gone.  And  soon 
thereafter  the  gods  showed  forth  signs 
and  wonders  to  my  company.  The 
skins  were  creeping,  and  the  flesh  bellow- 
ing upon  the  spits,  both  the  roast  and 
raw,  and  there  was  a  sound  as  the  voice 
of  kine. 

"  Then  for  six  days  my  dear  company 
feasted  on  the  best  of  the  kine  of  Helios 
which  they  had  driven  off.  But  when 
Zeus,  son  of  Cronos,  had  added  the 
seventh  day  thereto,  thereafter  the  wind 
ceased  to  blow  with  a  rushing  storm,  and 
at  once  we  climbed  the  ship  and  launched 
into  the  broad  deep,  when  we  had  set  up 
the  mast  and  hoisted  the  white  sails. 

"  But  now  when  we  left  that  isle  nor 
any  other  land  appeared,  but  sky  and 
191 


sea  only,  even  then  the  son  of  Cronos 
stayed  a  dark  cloud  above  the  hollow 
ship,  and  beneath  it  the  deep  darkened. 
And  the  ship  ran  on  her  way  for  no  long 
while,  for  of  a  sudden  came  the  shrilling 
West,  with  the  rushing  of  a  great  tem- 
pest, and  the  blast  of  wind  snapped  the 
two  forestays  of  the  mast,  and  the  mast 
fell  backward  and  all  the  gear  dropped 
into  the  bilge.  And  behold,  on  the  hind 
part  of  the  ship  the  mast  struck  the  head 
of  the  pilot  and  brake  all  the  bones  of  his 
skull  together,  and  like  a  diver  he  dropt 
down  from  the  deck,  and  his  brave  spirit 
left  his  bones.  In  that  same  hour  Zeus 
thundered  and  cast  his  bolt  upon  the  ship, 
and  she  reeled  all  over  being  stricken  by 
the  bolt  of  Zeus,  and  was  filled  with 
sulphur,  and  lo,  my  company  fell  from 
out  the  vessel.  Like  sea-gulls  they  were 
borne  round  the  black  ship  upon  the  bil- 
lows, and  the  god  reft  them  of  returning. 
"  But  I  kept  pacing  through  my  ship, 
till  the  surge  loosened  the  sides  from  the 
keel,  and  the  wave  swept  her  along  stript 
of  her  tackling,  and  brake  her  mast  clean 
off  at  the  keel.  Now  the  backstay  fash- 
192 


ioned  of  an  oxhide  had  been  flung  thereon; 
therewith  I  lashed  together  both  keel  and 
mast,  and  sitting  thereon  I  was  borne  by 
the  ruinous  winds. 

"  Then  verily  the  West  Wind  ceased 
to    blow    with     a    rushing    storm,    and 
swiftly   withal    the   South   Wind   came, 
bringing  sorrow  to   my  soul,  that  so  I 
might   again    measure    back   that    space 
of  sea,  the  way  to  deadly  Charybdis.    All 
the   night   was    I   borne,   but    with    the 
rising  of  the  sun  I  came  to  the  rock  of 
Scylla,  and   to  dread  Charybdis.     Now 
she  had  sucked  down  her  salt  sea  water, 
when   I  was  swung  up  on  high  to  the 
tall  fig-tree  whereto  I  clung  like  a  bat, 
and  could  find  no  sure  rest  for  my  feet 
nor  place  to  stand,  for  the  roots  spread 
far  below  and  the  branches  hung  aloft 
out  of  reach,  long  and  large,  and  over- 
shadowed Charybdis.     Steadfast  I  clung 
till  she  should  spew  forth  mast  and  keel 
again ;  and  late  they  came  to  my  desire. 
At  the  hour  when  a  man  rises  up  from 
the  assembly  and   goes  to   supper,   one 
who  judges   the   many   quarrels  of  the 
young  men  that  seek  to  him  for  law,  at 
193 


that  same  hour  those  timbers  came  forth 
to  view  from  out  Charybdis.  And  I  let 
myself  drop  down  hands  and  feet,  and 
plunged  heavily  in  the  midst  of  the  waters 
beyond  the  long  timbers,  and  sitting  on 
these  I  rowed  hard  with  my  hands.  But 
the  father  of  gods  and  of  men  suffered  me 
no  more  to  behold  Scylla,  else  I  should 
never  have  escaped  from  utter  doom. 

"  Thence  for  nine  days  was  I  borne, 
and  on  the  tenth  night  the  gods  brought 
me  nigh  to  the  isle  of  Ogygia,  where 
dwells  Calypso  of  the  braided  tresses,  an 
awful  goddess  of  mortal  speech,  who 
took  me  in  and  entreated  me  kindly. 
But  why  rehearse  all  this  tale  ?  For 
even  yesterday  I  told  it  to  thee  and  to  thy 
noble  wife  in  thy  house  ;  and  it  liketh 
me  not  twice  to  tell  a  plain-told  tale." 


194 


XVIII. 

ODYSSEUS'   FAREWELL   TO 
THE    PHAEACIANS 


So  spake  he,  and  dead  silence  fell  on 
all,  and  they  were  spell-bound  throughout 
the  shadowy  halls.  Thereupon  Alcinous 
answered  him,  and  spake,  saying  : 

"  Odysseus,  now  that  thou  hast  come 
to  my  high  house  with  floor  of  bronze, 
never,  methinks,  shalt  thou  be  driven 
I9S 


from  thy  way  ere  thou  returnest,  though 
thou  hast  been  sore  afflicted.  And  for 
each  man  among  you,  that  in  these  halls 
of  mine  drink  evermore  the  dark  wine 
of  the  elders,  and  hearken  to  the  min- 
strel, this  is  my  word  and  command. 
Garments  for  the  stranger  are  already 
laid  up  in  a  polished  coffer,  with  gold 
curiously  wrought,  and  all  other  such  gifts 
as  the  counsellors  of  the  Phaeacians  bare 
hither.  Come  now,  let  us  each  of  us 
give  him  a  great  tripod  and  a  cauldron,  and 
we  in  turn  will  gather  goods  among 
the  people  and  get  us  recompense ;  for 
it  were  hard  that  one  man  should  give 
without  return." 

So  spake  Alcinous,  and  the  saying 
pleased  them  well.  Then  they  went 
each  one  to  his  house  to  lay  him  down 
to  rest ;  but  so  soon  as  early  Dawn 
shone  forth,  the  rosy-fingered,  they 
hasted  to  the  ship  and  bare  the  bronze, 
the  joy  of  men.  And  the  mighty  king 
Alcinous  himself  went  about  the  ship 
and  diligently  bestowed  the  gifts  beneath 
the  benches,  that  they  might  not  hinder 
any  of  the  crew  in  their  rowing,  when 
196 


they  laboured  at  their  oars.  Then  they 
betook  them  to  the  house  of  Alcinous 
and  fell  to  feasting.  And  the  mighty 
king  Alcinous  sacrificed  before  them  an 
ox  to  Zeus,  the  son  of  Cronos,  that 
dwells  in  the  dark  clouds,  who  is  lord  of 
all.  And  when  they  had  burnt  the 
pieces  of  the  thighs,  they  shared  the 
glorious  feast  and  made  merry,  and 
among  them  harped  the  divine  minstrel 
Demodocus,  whom  the  people  honoured. 

But  Odysseus  would  ever  turn  his  head 
toward  the  splendour  of  the  sun,  as  one 
fain  to  hasten  his  setting  :  for  verily  he 
was  most  eager  to  return.  And  as  when 
a  man  longs  for  his  supper,  for  whom  all 
day  long  two  dark  oxen  drag  through  the 
fallow  field  the  jointed  plough,  yea  and 
welcome  to  such  an  one  the  sunlight 
sinketh,  that  so  he  may  get  him  to  sup- 
per, for  his  knees  wax  faint  by  the  way, 
even  so  welcome  was  the  sinking  of  the 
sunlight  to  Odysseus.  Then  straight  he 
spake  among  the  Phaeacians,  masters 
of  the  oar,  and  to  Alcinous  in  chief  he 
made  known  his  word,  saying : 

"  My  lord  Alcinous,  most  notable  of 
197 


all  the  people,  pour  ye  a  drink  ofFering, 
and  send  me  safe  upon  my  way,  and  as 
for  you,  fare  ye  well.  For  now  have 
I  all  that  my  heart  desired,  an  escort  and 
loving  gifts.  May  the  gods  of  heaven 
give  me  good  fortune  with  them,  and 
may  I  find  my  noble  wife  in  my  home 
with  my  friends  unharmed,  while  ye,  for 
your  part,  abide  here  and  make  glad  your 
wedded  wives  and  children  ;  and  may  the 
gods  vouchsafe  all  manner  of  good,  and 
may  no  evil  come  nigh  the  people  ! " 

So  spake  he,  and  they  all  consented 
thereto  and  bade  send  the  stranger  on 
his  way,  in  that  he  had  spoken  aright. 
Then  the  mighty  Alcinous  spake  to  the 
henchman  :  "  Pontonous,  mix  the  bowl 
and  serve  out  the  wine  to  all  in  the  hall, 
that  we  may  pray  to  Father  Zeus,  and 
send  the  stranger  on  his  way  to  his  own 
country." 

So  spake  he,  and  Pontonous  mixed  the 
honey-hearted  wine,  and  served  it  to  all 
in  turn.  And  they  poured  forth  before 
the  blessed  gods  that  keep  wide  heaven, 
even  there  as  they  sat.  Then  goodly 
Odysseus  uprose,  and  placed  in  Arete's 
198 


hand  the  two-handled  cup,  and  uttering 
his  voice  spake  to  her  winged  words  : 

*'  Fare  thee  well,  O  queen,  all  the 
days  of  thy  life,  till  old  age  come  and 
death,  that  visit  all  mankind.  But  I  go 
homeward,  and  do  thou  in  this  thy  house 
rejoice  in  thy  children  and  thy  people  and 
Alcinous  the  king." 

Therewith  goodly  Odysseus  stept  over 
the  threshold.  And  with  him  the  mighty 
Alcinous  sent  forth  a  henchman  to 
guide  him  to  the  swift  ship  and  the  sea- 
banks.  And  Arete  sent  in  his  train 
certain  maidens  of  her  household,  one 
bearing  a  fresh  robe  and  a  doublet, 
and  another  she  joined  to  them  to  carry 
the  strong  coffer,  and  yet  another  bare 
bread  and  red  wine.  Now  when  they 
had  come  down  to  the  ship  and  to  the 
sea,  straightway  the  good  men  of  the  es- 
cort took  these  things  and  laid  them  by 
in  the  hollow  ship,  even  all  the  meat  and 
drink.  Then  they  strewed  for  Odysseus 
a  rug  and  a  sheet  of  linen,  on  the  decks 
of  the  hollow  ship  in  the  hinder  part 
thereof,  that  he  might  sleep  sound. 

Then  he  too  climbed  aboard  and 
199 


laid  him  down  in  silence,  while  they 
sat  upon  the  benches,  every  man  in  or- 
der, and  unbound  the  hawser  from  the 
pierced  stone.  So  soon  as  they  leant 
backwards  and  tossed  the  sea  water  with 
the  oar  blade,  a  deep  sleep  fell  upon  his 
eyelids,  a  sound  sleep,  very  sweet,  and 
next  akin  to  death.  And  even  as  on  a 
plain  a  yoke  of  four  stallions  comes 
springing  all  together  beneath  the  lash, 
leaping  high  and  speedily  accomplishing 
the  way,  so  leaped  the  stern  of  that  ship, 
and  the  dark  wave  of  the  sounding  sea 
rushed  mightily  in  the  wake,  and  she 
ran  ever  surely  on  her  way,  nor  could 
a  circling  hawk  keep  pace  with  her,  of 
winged  things  the  swiftest.  Even  thus 
she  lightly  sped  and  cleft  the  waves  of 
the  sea,  bearing  a  man  whose  counsel 
was  as  the  counsel  of  the  gods,  one  that 
erewhile  had  suffered  much  sorrow  of 
heart,  in  passing  through  the  wars 
of  men,  and  the  grievous  waves ;  but 
for  that  time  he  slept  in  peace,  forgetful 
of  all  that  he  had  suffered. 

So  when   the   star  came   up,  that   is 
brightest  of  all,  and  goes  ever  heralding 
200 


the  light  of  early  Dawn,  even  then  did 
the  sea-faring  ship  draw  nigh  the  is- 
land. There  is  in  the  land  of  Ithaca 
a  certain  haven  of  Phorcys,  the  ancient 
one  of  the  sea,  and  thereby  are  two 
headlands  of  sheer  clifF,  which  slope  to 
the  sea  on  the  haven's  side  and  break 
the  mighty  wave  that  ill  winds  roll  with- 
out, but  within,  the  decked  ships  ride 
unmoored  when  once  they  have  attained 
to  that  landing  place.  Now  at  the  har- 
bour's head  is  a  long-leaved  olive  tree, 
and  hard  by  is  a  pleasant  cave  and 
shadowy,  sacred  to  the  nymphs,  that 
are  called  the  Naiads.  And  therein 
are  mixing  bowls  and  jars  of  stone,  and 
there  moreover  do  bees  hive.  And  there 
are  great  looms  of  stone,  whereon  the 
nymphs  weave  raiment  of  purple  stain,  a 
marvel  to  behold,  and  therein  are  waters 
welling  evermore.  Two  gates  there  are 
to  the  cave,  the  one  set  toward  the  North 
Wind  whereby  men  may  go  down,  but  the 
portals  toward  the  South  pertain  rather 
to  the  gods,  whereby  men  may  not  enter  : 
it  is  the  way  of  the  immortals. 

Thither  they,  as  having  knowledge  of 
201 


that  place,  let  drive  their  ship ;  and  now 
the  vessel  in  full  course  ran  ashore,  half 
her  keel's  length  high ;  so  well  was  she 
sped  by  the  hands  of  the  oarsmen.  Then 
they  alighted  from  the  benched  ship 
upon  the  land,  and  first  they  lifted  Odys- 
seus from  out  the  hollow  ship,  all  as  he 
was  in  the  sheet  of  linen  and  the  bright 
rug,  and  laid  him  yet  heavy  with  slum- 
ber on  the  sand.  And  they  took  forth 
the  goods  which  the  lordly  Phaeacians 
had  given  him  on  his  homeward  way  by 
grace  of  the  great  hearted  Athene.  These 
they  set  in  a  heap  by  the  trunk  of 
the  olive  tree,  a  little  aside  from  the 
road,  lest  some  wayfaring  man,  before 
Odysseus  awakened,  should  come  and 
spoil  them.  Then  themselves  departed 
homeward  again. 


^«^^ 


^^^^^7S^M{SSj^s^'=^^ 


202 


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